


Stuck With Me

by ShibayamaG



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgardian Culture (Marvel), Asgardian Liquor (Marvel), Asgardian Magic (Marvel), Bath, Cabin Fic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Male Bonding, Male Homosexuality, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Rocket Raccoon-centric, Romance, Sauna, Slow Burn, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:01:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 59,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22782979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShibayamaG/pseuds/ShibayamaG
Summary: Five years should be more than enough time to get over somebody you shouldn't have feelings for in the first place. Unfortunately for Rocket, he's about to get caught up in more than one unexpected storm when he goes to visit Thor in New Asgard.
Relationships: Rocket Raccoon/Thor
Comments: 55
Kudos: 217





	1. Rabbit in the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there folks! This story is something that I've been working on for awhile since Thor/Rocket is a pairing that I absolutely love after watching Infinity War and Endgame, but don't really see a lot or content about. I usually write and draw unabashed smut, but I wanted to take the time to really explore these characters and what would lead them to flying off into the sunset together at the end of Endgame. 
> 
> That being said the smut is totally coming, and there will be one or two chapters that are dedicated to explicit Sweet Rabbit x Pirate Angel action, but for the time being I want to set up a nice slow burn. I hope you enjoy reading this!

_What the fuck is wrong with me?_

That same sentence had been running through Rocket's head on a continuous loop for the past hour, and that was before he had stepped off the ship into a torrential downpour. The wind had whipped the hood off of his head, uselessly bunched up around his neck as it dripped freezing cold water down his back. It didn't matter much though, since now it was just as soaked through as every other part of his body - an unfortunate side effect of the 45 minute walk through the deluge that was currently pounding away at the shores of Tønsberg Norway. The pathway leading to the cabin up on the cliff facing the sea hadn't been fully paved yet, and the slick mud squelched under his boots, narrowly causing him to lose his footing several times.

"That would be just what I need... I'm already gunna show up looking like a friggin' waterlogged feral..." He grumbled to himself after nearly tripping into the sodden muck again. The rain that clouded his vision as it cascaded across his goggles was bad enough, but the unsteady footing had made it particularly hard to proceed with any kind of haste - a fact that was exacerbated by the low but persistent rumble of thunder in the distance that made his wet fur prickle uncomfortably.

A few years back, he would have been making plans to kick Quill's ass for not landing him closer to the cabin. Sure, the man had responded with a snort and an incredulous "Uhh, Why??" when he had told him what he was planning to do, but he seemed genuinely apologetic about having to drop him off so far from his destination in this storm. 

The Benatar had sustained some pretty substantial damage during the final battle with Thanos' army, and Rocket had gotten himself decently banged up as well: What with surviving a missile barrage to the building he was in, being buried beneath the rubble of said building, and then fighting against an unending wave of psychotic monsters that tried their best to turn him into roadkill, Rocket was in no position to be making repairs to the ship himself. With that in mind it was probably best that they didn't take any risks by trying to land on the uneven cliffside that was thickly covered in tall pines in this weather, so he was pretty sure this wasn't Quill trying to get one over on him.

And even if it was, it was pretty hard to stay mad at a guy who had been dead for the past 5 years.

After what seemed like the longest walk of Rocket's life, he finally stumbled up to the front of the cabin. It was actually significantly bigger than Rocket had thought at first glance - a bit more like a lodge than a cabin. The exterior gleamed with the reddish-orange hue of freshly lacquered wood. A large circular window with a dark mahogany frame built to look like entwined tree branches adorned the front of it, and on the side of the house, a stone chimney puffed out a steady stream of smoke into the dreary black sky.

"Well, that's a good sign. At least I know he's not dead..." Rocket muttered as he made his way across the front porch. He paused in front of the heavy-looking front door with a glass transom above it that had been patterned to match the window, taking a moment to steel his nerves.

"This... is gunna suck..." He thought to himself, but he couldn't very well stay outside all night after coming all this way. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he knocked as loudly as he could on the sturdy front door. It actually kind of hurt his hand a bit. Even on Earth, Asgardian craftsmanship was nothing to sneeze at, at least from what little he had experienced of it anyway.

"Hey Blondie! Open up will ya?" Rocket hollered as he pounded on the door. After a few moments of silence, it suddenly crossed his mind that he was showing up completely unannounced in the middle of a storm. "Shit... What if he's asleep..." He thought with a slight sense of panic starting to set in. "...or passed out drunk?"

Both were entirely within the realm of possibility, he supposed. Sure, the guy _seemed_ to have gotten his act together after they had gotten back from their little time-heist adventure. Even Rocket had to admit that he was impressed by the fact that he had been able to go toe-to-toe with Thanos during the last battle. Still, if he had been 100% positive that the big lug was doing alright, he wouldn't be out here shivering head to toe with his boots half full of rainwater.

He was starting to worry he would have to spend the night out on the porch when he heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the door. It swung open, revealing a large and particularly befuddled looking Asgardian on the other side.

"Uh... Hey Thor..."

"Rocket?" Thor squinted as he looked down at the drenched raccoon on his doorstep, his brow furrowing into a concerned expression when he realized what it was that he was looking at. "What in the Nine Realms are you doing out here?"

"Oh y'know, I just really needed a folk music CD and one of those friggin' Viking helmets with the horns and I figured 'what the hell, I'm already in the neighborhood'." He said through chattering teeth. "Whaddya think I'm doing out here? I came here to see you. So are you gonna let me in and dry up or what? Even I can't stand the smell of wet fur." He said, coming off a bit more peeved than he might have intended.

At first Thor seemed slightly taken aback at being asked so bluntly, and for a moment Rocket could have sworn that Thor was going to flat out refuse. Thankfully he seemed to get over it quickly, flashing an apologetic smile. 

"…What? Oh, of course! It's good to see you my friend! Odin's beard, you're soaked to the bone..." The big man stood aside to let Rocket into the cabin, apparently unconcerned at the amount of water dripping onto the hardwood floor as he ushered his friend towards the rear of the room, where a fire crackled merrily in a large hearth carved out of dark stone." 

Just give me a moment alright? I'll uh... try and find you a towel." He glanced around the room, wringing his hands awkwardly as though he expected a towel to suddenly materialize. Apparently he realized this wasn't going to happen, so he scampered off deeper into the cabin with a quickness that Rocket never would have expected of the man.

"Yeah uh, no rush." Rocket said as he planted himself on the woven rug in front of the fire, careful not to track mud onto it as he tugged off his soaked boots with some difficulty. His socks, gloves, coat, and goggles soon joined them in a sopping wet pile. "Yeesh... Feels like I just lost ten pounds..." He grumbled to himself. 

Even with his outer layers removed he was still so wet he may as well have been dunked in the ocean, his fur sticking up in thick wiry clumps. He was at least grateful that there was a fire going. He flexed his toes in front of the warmth with a satisfied groan, not realizing until now how numb they had gotten from his long walk through the rain.

Though the fire helped warm him up slightly, he still couldn't help shivering uncontrollably, inching as close as he could to the flames without burning himself. He listened to the gentle crackling of the logs as he dried off, taking a moment to get a proper look at his surroundings.

The cabin was a bit on the rustic side for Rocket's taste. As far as he could tell, there didn't seem to be any electricity in the place, the only light being provided by the fire and several candles that hung from thick iron braziers lining the walls. The limited lighting combined with the inky black sky outside made the interior of the lodge dark enough that Rocket had to squint to get a better look at everything.

Just behind him was a large leather sofa and recliner - neither of which looked like it had seen much use. Further back, Rocket could make out what looked like a square charcoal pit surrounded by several intricately carved wooden stools. Two long tables that almost ran the entire length of the central room were on each side of the house, flanked with low benches in a way that made the space resemble a large dining hall rather than a home.

At the opposite end of the room between the tables, there was one thing that stood out like a sore thumb compared to the more modest design elements though - a large and impressively wrought golden throne sat with a set of stairs leading up to it on an octagonal dias. The throne was backed by a large circular gold disc that nearly went all the way up to the ceiling, the same intricate details and runic symbols that were carved into the woodwork of the cabin sculpted into it. A red velvet cushion in the seat was flanked by what looked like two stylized lions, and on each side of them were huge curving arches spread out majestically like golden wings. It was definitely a bit much, thought Rocket, but it did look a bit like what he had seen in the gleaming palace they had infiltrated during their brief stint on Asgard. Who knew, maybe it was Thor's idea of "homey"?

He supposed that the place must be fairly large overall, as the atrium split off into several smaller side rooms, and wherever Thor had gone off to was completely out of Rocket's field of vision, though he could hear what sounded like the hasty rummaging through drawers and cabinets further off. He supposed he would have called the longhouse cozy if not for one glaring issue: Whoever decorated the place seemed to have an affinity for using animal pelts as a decorative element, draping them over benches and hanging them from walls in a way that Rocket would have described as "overkill". He grimaced before turning back to the fire, content to at least get some of the chill off. Rocket's fur was still dripping onto the rug beneath him when Thor came lumbering back into the central room, towel-less and looking sheepish.

"So...There doesn't seem to be any more dry towels around. Or if there were, I'm not really sure where they'd... uh... be." Thor said with the same uncomfortable smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"What?" Rocket gave the Asgardian and incredulous look. "Whaddya mean? You're telling me in this whole big fancy house you can't find one friggin' towel?" he said, more exasperated than angry.

"Well, I do have towels... Or rather the towels I've been using when I bathe but they're still rather damp from when I used them earlier and I don't think you'd like using that... There might actually be some more stashed away somewhere. But the thing is, this isn't actually my house." He stammered. "Er, well, I mean technically it IS my house. The survivors of Asgard built this place a few years ago for... for their king, which I suppose, would be me." He said as he fiddled with the end of the thick braid in his beard and cast a sidelong glance at the golden throne on the other side of the hall.

"But I haven't really spent any time here at all to be honest. A bit too roomy for me. Plus there's no WiFi out here which is a bit of a deal breaker for me when going house hunting - which I don't suggest doing anytime soon, it's a bloody nightmare you know. My friends Korg and Miek offered to let me stay with them and I figured why the Hel not? Good way to save on utilities eh? Have you met Korg and Miek before?" He said quickly, giving the racoon a squinty smile. He wasn't sure if Thor was trying to be funny or not. It sure seemed like he was attempting to be, but he was failing miserably at it if he was.

"What, the talking rock guy and that giant bug thing? Uh yeah, we've met." Rocket wondered how it was possible that Thor didn't remember how he and Banner had been introduced to those two when they went to pick up Thor in that disgustingly dirty little cottage. He suspected a large part of the Asgaridian's memory of the past few years was "fuzzy" though. To be fair, he had been in such a rush to get the hell out of that place before he passed out from the stench that he barely remembered meeting them either. Banner had been the one to help Thor gather his meager belongings while Rocket waited outside to clear his head and air passages.

"Anyway if ya can't get me a towel I'll just wait to dry off here I guess. I'd use one of the dead animals ya got sprucing up the place here but there is no way in hell I'm doin that…" He sighed, trying to slick more of the water off his damp fur and clothes with his hands.

Thor blinked down at him a bit gormlessly before a horror-struck expression appeared on his scruffy face. "Oh! Erm, right. Listen why don't I just…" The big man tugged at the black hooded sweatshirt he had been wearing, pulling it over his head with a grunt. His gut peeked out from under the t-shirt he was wearing as he struggled to get the sweatshirt over his head. He finally managed though, shaking his shaggy mane of hair like a large dog before tossing the piece of clothing at Rocket's feet. "Here, why don't you use this for now?"

"Uh, no thanks..." Rocket said, eyeing the fabric mound on the carpet as though Thor had actually tossed him one of the animal pelts to use. "I'm cool man. The fire should be enough." He said, as water continued to drip down his muzzle in rivulets.

"What? Don't be ridiculous, you're soaking wet!" Thor said with an incredulous chuckle. "It'll take you ages to get dry like that. C'mon, it's the least I can do!" He kneeled down on the carpet, picking up the sweatshirt and offering it to Rocket.

"No, seriously it's fine. You don't havta…"

Rocket began to protest again, but Thor thrust it into his hands.

"Please, just take it will you?" He said, locking his mismatched colored eyes with Rocket's. The artificial smile was gone, the big man looking at his former comrade with an almost pleading sincerity.

_Fuck, that damn puppy dog look…_

Rocket reluctantly took the bundle from the Asgardian, shaking it out and giving it a wary sniff. It definitely had a very subtle but distinct "Thor" smell to it, though to his surprise there were no crumbs or snack wrappers in any of the pockets. It seemed to be clean at the very least.

"Alright, well thanks I guess." Rocket said as he unfurled the sweatshirt and began drying himself off with it. As much as he wished he had an actual towel to use, he felt significantly better getting to sponge off the icy rain that soaked his fur. By the time he was done, his clothes were still uncomfortably soggy, but at least the rest of him was nice and dry. He did his best to flatten his fur into a rough approximation of how it usually looked, but it still stuck up at odd angles.

"Yeah yeah, I know I look stupid." Rocket muttered as he turned back to face Thor.

"What? No, no of course not! Don't be ridiculous." said the Asgardian, who despite his apparent sincerity, Rocket noticed the corners of his mouth twitch beneath his bushy mustache.

"Hey, if you just walked a few miles through a friggin' hurricane, you'd be none too pretty ta look at yourself!" Rocket grumbled at the big man. "Speaking of which, you're looking uh…" he paused, taking a moment to look the Asgardian over and trying his best not to grimace. "…better?" He finally said unconvincingly. Thor raised his unscarred eyebrow at this. "Okay okay, you look like hell. But you definitely _smell_ a lot better that's for sure. Believe me, that's improvement enough." Rocket said with a shrug.

God he was bad at being sympathetic. He didn't know why this felt so awkward. To be fair saying that there had been no improvement with Thor was a bit of an overstatement. It was clear that he had been making more of an effort to take care of himself. Though his hair was pulled back into a disheveled nest of a ponytail with a few rogue strands of hair tucked behind his ears, it looked as though he had been washing it. His beard remained thick and bushy, still braided with a little silver bead at the end just as it had been during the final battle with Thanos.

He was wearing baggy sweatpants, and the black band t-shirt he had on was definitely a size too small for either his newfound girth or his still massive chest and biceps, but his clothes at least looked like they were new. "Good ta see you're not stumbling around in that ratty old bathrobe and the pajama pants with the tear in the asscrack anymore though. You DO look better. I'm relieved." He said with a grin. And he meant it.

"You're relieved that I look better, or that you can't see my ass?" Thor chuckled, sitting on the floor next to Rocket, taking the damp sweatshirt and tossing it unceremoniously onto a nearby armchair. "Because it's still a pretty good ass I'll have you know." He gave Rocket a playful nudge with his elbow.

"Heh, not from what I saw." Rocket said, smirking at the comically wounded look Thor gave him. "But yeah... Uh, how ya been doing big guy?" The smile faded from Rockets face, suddenly becoming somber. The brief moment of mirth they shared ended as abruptly as a lightbulb going out.

Thor seemed as though he was unprepared for such a simple question. He stared out into the fire, the falsely cheery smile back on his face. "Ah. Well, you know..."

Rocket turned to face the fire too, watching as the flames flickered. They sat in silence for awhile, his ears twitching at a particularly loud pop from the logs every now and then. "Actually, I don't know." He finally muttered quietly. "You vanished after the funeral, so I never got a chance to talk to ya."

Thor shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat. "Listen, it was nice of you to come all the way out here just to see me, but I'm fine, honestl-" 

"Oh will you cut it out with that macho crap?" Rocket snapped. "There is nobody I've ever seen in my entire life who has ever been less 'fine' than you. Hell, you weren't even 'fine' when I first found ya. Back when we were on our way to Nidaviliir? I just met you, and I could tell you were really going through some really hard shit. Why do you think I gave you that friggin' eye?" He said, pointing a finger at the dark brown eye that contrasted so intensely with his natural brilliant blue one. "I wanted to try and help you out if I could cause I could tell ya needed it."

The Asgardian snorted. "What, do you want it back then?" Thor said dryly.

He wasn't sure exactly why, but having his moment of generosity dismissed like that made something inside Rocket snap, the frustration he had been feeling towards the Asgardian over the past few weeks finally bubbling to the surface in a furious surge.

"No I do NOT want it back damnit!!!" Rocket yelled loudly as he jumped to his feet, glaring at Thor. He was genuinely good and pissed now, anger rising hot in his chest. It was taking all his self control not to smack Thor across the face like he had when he wouldn't stop blubbering back on Asgard. "You really think I give two shits about that thing?? I want you to be honest with me for once instead of doing more of this bullshit tough-guy act while you run off to hide with your tail between your legs. It's friggin' pathetic!"

Thor looked a bit startled by the sudden outburst, staring at Rocket dumbfounded for a moment, before his brow knit together, his look of befuddlement became one of anger as well. "Look, I didn't 'run off' alright? After everything that happened, everybody that we lost, I just needed some time to myself for awhile. That's it." 

"Oh, that's what you needed, huh? That was it? Yeah, real great plan. Another winner in a long line of stellar plans from Thor!" Rocket said sarcastically. He knew he had touched a nerve with that, but at this point he didn't really care. He was tired of all the melodrama.

Thor's outrage quickly rose to match Rocket's however. "And what in the name of Surtr's flaming ballsack does that mean?!" He stood up as well, towering over Rocket, though the raccoon didn't flinch.

Thor shook his head, his voice husky. "Real easy for you to just show up out of nowhere and kick me while I'm down yeah? That's what you like to do isn't it? Just… just mock people and make smart little quips from up on your bloody pedestal eh?" Thor growled, nostrils flaring.

"I didn't come here to do that you friggin' idiot! I came because I was worried about you!!" Rocket yelled, his frustration making him want to tear his fur out.

"Well I never asked for help! Not from you or anybody else!" Thor roared in response, his booming voice filling the cabin.

Rocket took a step towards the larger man. At a little over 3 and a half feet tall he barely made it past Thor's navel, but he was never one to be intimidated. "Well _maybe_ if you had, maybe if instead of spending so much time moping around and being a drunken mess, MAYBE if instead of spending all your time running away from everything and dwelling on all the people that were gone, you saw that there were still people here now that friggin' CARED about you and WANTED to help you instead of pushing everyone away, you wouldn't have fallen apart like ya did!" He said, punctuating it by jabbing Thor's gut angrily with his finger. It was quite a bit firmer than he was expecting actually.

"And maybe I knew you'd tell me you just wanted to be left alone and this whole thing would just be a huge waste of time!" Rocket howled. 

"Then why did you come here?!" Thor shouted, looking very much like he was about to take a swing at the raccoon.

"BECAUSE I FUCKED UP OKAY???" Rocket screamed back.

He exhaled deeply, hopping up onto the edge of the sofa and massaging his temples. He looked back up at Thor, an embarrassed expression on his face as the hot wave of anger was replaced with something entirely worse: Guilt.

"What?" Thor blinked at the raccoon in surprise, temporarily mollified. Rocket didn't reply, sighing and looking away from the man, staring at his feet. Thor sat down on the couch next to him. "What do you mean?" 

Rocket took another deep breath before he started talking again, though still without looking at Thor. "I... I messed up man. You were my friend. Even though we had only known each other for a little while, we got pretty close back there ya know? And… I never came to check up on you to see if you were okay, even if I shoulda known you wouldn't be." He said, reluctantly getting the words out, bitter and unpleasant as it felt.

 _God, this is humiliating_... 

"I had come back to Earth a few times you know. Met up with… with Nat." He sighed, knowing that she was another comrade that had been lost in this war. "I checked in a few times when I was patrolling the area since me and Danvers would keep her up to date with what was going on off-planet. Any time I was here I could have asked about ya, but I didn't. I was so focused on just... getting everything back to the way things were. Getting my family back...

"But I coulda come to check up on ya, knowing just how much shit you'd been through." he sighed. "How much you thinking that you failed was eating away at ya. Maybe if I had, I coulda helped, ya know? Maybe things… wouldn't have gotten so bad for ya if you had somebody who wouldn't have let ya slip up as much as ya did."

Thor was quiet for awhile, with only the sound of the fireplace and the rain against the windows to break the tense silence. Rocket was ready to grab his things and bolt out of sheer embarrassment but finally the big man spoke.

"You wouldn't have been the first one to try you know. There were nights where Valkyrie tried to knock some sense into my thick skull. But with me being such a bloody disaster she had her hands full trying to keep things together for what was left of Asgard while they tried to adapt to life on this planet after they lost everything... Korg and Miek meant well I'm sure. I know that they were just trying to give me space. Keep me as comfortable as they could since I suppose they thought they owed me for freeing them from the Grandmaster's arena. And I was more than willing to take advantage of that and just… wallow in my own self pity. I was a selfish bastard." Thor said bitterly, looking over at Rocket. "So you shouldn't blame yourself for that."

"I don't care about what anybody else did. I care about what _I_ did." Rocket muttered. "I knew what you went through. I don't think there's anybody else who lost just as much as you did through all that shit with your crazy sister and then Thanos back to back. You lost everything, and then you kept losing everything again and again. I mean I did too in my own way, but I got lucky. I got everyone back. Sort of..."

Rocket caught Thor's gaze briefly before letting out another deep sigh. "Look, Quill and Groot and the rest of em went off to meet up with the Ravagers to get repairs on the ship and pick up some supplies. Plus I think Quill's gonna try and get some information about where Gamora and Nebula went off to after the battle was over. I told em to drop me off here so I could keep an eye on ya, so unless you're planning on kicking me out in this friggin storm, you're stuck with me for the next few days til they get back."

It wasn't a request, but Rocket's heart still hammered in his chest as he waited for Thor's response.

After a long pause, he finally broke the silence.

"… How did you know where to find me anyway?" the Asgardian said, leaning back into the couch with a grunt.

"Eh, I checked in with that Valkyrie chick before we came out here. Lucky for me she had the sense ta set up a communications channel out here, otherwise I'd still be out in the rain looking for ya like a jackass."

Thor smirked, shaking his head. "I'm not sure if I should thank her or tell her to quit telling people where to find me." He put a heavy arm around Rocket's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "But that's twice now you've come to find me, Sweet Rabbit. I suppose the least I can do is let you stay." 

"Heh, who the hell said I was asking?" Rocket said with a chuckle at the stupid nickname Thor had given him. If it had been anyone else who called him that, he probably would have decked them across the face, but he could make an exception for the 'Pirate Angel.' "But uh, yeah…I'm sorry about earlier…"

"As am I." Thor replied, his hand lingering on Rocket's shoulder for a moment, looking over at the raccoon with affectionate warmth before leaning forward and slapping his hands on his thighs with a loud clap. "Well! If I'm to have a guest I ought to play a proper host then. After coming all the way in the rain, you could probably use a hot bath eh?" He said, looking around distractedly as though he were trying to take stock of what he needed to do to get the place prepared for the unexpected arrival. 

"A bath?" Rocket said raising his eyebrow. "Does this place even have running water? Besides I thought you didn't have any more towels here. What are you gonna do, take off your pants for me to dry off with next? Cuz if that's the case I think I'll pass dude." 

"Hmm? Don't be silly of course there's proper plumbing here. Asgardians are quite serious about bathing you know. This lodge was also meant to serve as a mead hall, so there's a rather nice communal tub I've had all to myself. You're welcome to use it - it's right down the hall on the left there." He said nodding his beard in that direction. "As for the towels, I'll just run out and grab some more. It's no trouble." He said giving Rocket an encouraging smile. 

"What are you nuts? You're gonna go out in this weather? Is there even a store around here or do ya need to go trade two goats and a chicken for one?" 

Thor laughed. "No no nothing like that." He went over to one of the large tables on the side of the room and picked up the battle axe that had been resting on it. It was the very one they had created together on Nidaviliir - the King's weapon, Stormbreaker.

"There's a wonderful shop called "Bed Bath & Beyond" in New York City that sells all manner of delightful wares for the home. Stormbreaker can summon the Bifrost so I can just ride it there and come right back, don't you remember? It'll only take me a moment. I'll have the towels ready for you by the time you finish in the baths."

He gave Rocket a wink and without another word he lifted the axe over his head and a column of light erupted beneath his feet with a boom that rattled the whole cabin. And with that, Thor was gone.

"Ah right… how could I forget about the magical teleporting axe…" Rocket sighed, looking over in the direction that Thor had indicated. Even though he had dried off, he couldn't deny that he was eager to wash out the dried mud that had gotten into his fur.

With a shrug meant for nobody in particular, he went over to the discarded pile of wet clothes in front of the fire and dug his pack out from his coat before making his way down to the baths.


	2. Rabbit in the Tub

Admittedly, it had been quite some time since Rocket had gotten to take a bath. Neither the Milano nor the Benatar were luxury ships by any means. Both just had simple ablution chambers that were the standard for M-ships like that, and they were little more than a few shower spigots of heated water and a place to dry off. His work as a mercenary before he was a Guardian didn't take him to particularly glamorous locations either. 

He used to be a lot less fastidious about bathing, which was admittedly pretty easy when your partner was a giant tree without a nose and wouldn't complain if you stank. But whenever he got a bit musty, Drax had the annoying habit of blurting out what he thought Rocket smelled like in increasingly colorful ways (though "you reek like a Flerken's anal glands" was definitely one that he wanted to use on somebody else in the future), so he had made it a point from then on to include a hasty shower into his daily routine.

Actually, just how long _had_ it been since he had gotten to take a proper bath in a real tub? It must have been years. The last thing he remembered was the incident on the Sovereign homeworld. Just after they had been briefed on the situation with the Abilisk and the Anulax Batteries, they had been offered to use their opulent bathing facilities, complete with attendants and high end amenities to create a luxurious and relaxing experience. 

…Or at least that's what he had been told. When he showed up with the rest of the team, the golden-skinned douchebag on duty had taken one look at him and sneered, telling Quill that their "pet" was not allowed in with them, though they could perhaps arrange for services with a groomer if they liked. When Rocket started to protest, Quill was quick to tell him how badly they needed to remain in the Sovereign's good graces if they were going to make a solid profit off of this mission, and that somebody should probably stay behind to look after Groot anyway and make sure the little guy didn't get into trouble.

Even though it was years ago, thinking about that incident made his blood boil. He hated having to play nice for those gilded jackasses, and after they had treated him so badly, they were lucky that a few stolen batteries was the worst they had gotten from him. The fact that they had been worth a few thousand Units each was just icing on the cake. Despite all the trouble it had caused, he had gotten his chance to stick it to those circle-jerking shitheads, and it still brought a grin to his face.

He made his way through the cabin, winding up in front of a pair of heavy oak doors which he pushed open with a bit of difficulty. 

"Woah…"

Inside was definitely not what he had been expecting. A massively airy, open room greeted Rocket, the lush scent of fragrant cedar filling his nostrils. He stepped inside onto the smooth tiles of the stone floor, which were surprisingly warm against his bare feet. To his left was a long, low bench with several rows of individual shower heads, each with wooden wash basins and a variety of mismatched lotions and shampoos lined up in front of them. There were two other doors towards the rear of the room that seemed to lead off to dry and wet steam rooms, but it was the enormous tub in the center that caught his attention.

What looked like a large rectangular pool of polished ivory marble sat embedded in the floor. It was split into two sections, with a smaller rectangular tub that looked as though it could fit 4 or 5 people in it separated from the larger L-shaped segment. Each section had a small waterfall continually gushing into the tubs, filling the room with the gentle crash of rushing water. Both tubs were already full of steaming hot water that covered the bathing area with a relaxing, aromatic haze. The room's toasty warmth combined with the sounds and smells sent a comfortable tingle down Rocket's spine. 

"Alright… not bad." Rocket murmured to himself. "Not bad at all."

Sure, he could name at least ten planets that would definitely have fancier bath houses than this, but he couldn't help but feel a small rush of excitement at the idea of having this whole place all to himself. He quickly dropped his pack onto the floor and pulled his wet clothes off with a bit of muffled grunting and cursing. He had been in enough prison showers to not have any particular sense of modesty at this point, but he had to admit that he was grateful for the privacy as he stripped off completely and made his way over to the wooden bench, taking a good look at himself in the long mirror that was in front of it.

"Yeesh…" 

He was _definitely_ a mess. Half of his fur was sticking up strangely where he had dried off with Thor's sweatshirt while the other half was slicked down completely flat and wet on his body, making him look as though he had been simultaneously drowned and electrocuted. He hadn't realized just how much mud had gotten into his tail either, bits of it clinging to the tip in dirty clumps.

He grabbed the shower head and turned it on full blast, gulping a mouthful of warm water from it and sloshing it around his cheeks before spitting it out onto the floor, proceeding to rinse the rest of his body off with the comfortable jets. He grabbed a nearby bottle of shampoo and sniffed it cautiously. Thankfully it had a fairly mild scent compared to the super fragrant shampoos Quill used. The man's favorite was some green stuff called "Prell" which in Rocket's opinion smelled like crap, though he made it a point to never touch any of the stuff Quill left in the shower anyway. 

He dumped a considerable amount into his hands and massaged it into his fur before he filled the wooden basin with water and dunked it over his head, careful not to get any of it into his ears. He sputtered as he rinsed the last of the suds off, grabbing his tail and wringing it out. He took another look at himself in the mirror. 

"Eh, could do worse I guess." 

He gave his reflection a wink and flexed the wet muscles of his stocky frame with a chuckle. After some quick deliberation, he decided to make use of the smaller rectangular tub. It was still deep enough that it could have easily been a pool for him, though there was thankfully a shallow seating area around the inner edge. He imagined that it gave the average Asgardian man an option of whether or not to fully submerge themselves, though it was the perfect height for him since his feet wouldn't have hit the bottom otherwise. He sank into the steaming hot water up to his shoulders with a satisfied groan, the last bit of chill from outside melting away. 

"Ohhh yeah, now that's what I'm talkin' about…" Rocket purred putting his arms around the edge of the tub and laying back. "I gotta do this more often…" 

_Which part? Getting a bath or coming to see Thor?_

Rocket shut his eyes and breathed in deeply, letting the steam fill his lungs. It wasn't really an unfair question, he supposed. He exhaled, feeling the tension in his body begin to dissolve. If he were being honest, he would have to say that both were things he should make more of a habit of doing. 

Things had been so hectic for the past 5 years that he had been in a constant state of intensity - a series of tasks that needed to be done, a string of failures that needed correcting. He had been so focused on trying to make things work again that he hadn't really done much of anything for himself. Well nothing _good_ anyway. There were a few nights that he spent alone on the Benatar drinking himself into a numb stupor. Maybe having that frantic, single-minded focus was what had managed to keep him from falling apart entirely like Thor had. Though what he said earlier was true: The big lug had suffered more than anybody else he knew, so maybe it wasn't really fair to say that.

He moved to the other side of the tub under the small waterfall, letting the hot waves pour down his aching back. He hadn't really acknowledged just how tender his body was after the final battle against Thanos, and getting a chance to soak his sore joints and bruised muscles definitely helped ease his tension.

_Maybe this trip won't be so bad after all...  
_

His eyes drooped a bit, his mind wandering as he became more relaxed. His thoughts were aimless and hazy, eventually meandering back to the incident with those Sovereign jackasses. It was bad enough having strangers treat him like that, but he couldn't help but wonder if things would have been different now. Maybe now, Quill would have stuck up for him after they had humiliated him like that. After all, the man was part of his screwed up little family, and their relationship had gotten a lot less hostile in recent years. Hell, one might even say their relationship had become downright _brotherly_. But even so, Quill was still an asshole - though Rocket at least had the self awareness to admit that he was one too. 

He thought back to what Thor had said earlier about how he got off on being a snarky jerk to people. If Quill had said that to him he would have just brushed it off. But why did it sting to know that Thor thought that about him? He usually had no problem flaunting the more unsavory aspects of his personality to everybody else like it was his personal little fucked up badge of honor. 

Maybe it was because he had never meant to show that side of himself to somebody who had treated him with nothing but respect and admiration since they first met. But maybe there was more to it than that. And maybe he wasn't being completely honest telling himself that he had come here solely for the Asgaridian's sake.

_"...You push away anyone who's willing to put up with you because just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is."_

Okay _, that_ was something he really didn't want to think about right now. He sat up in irritation, rubbing at his temples as they started to throb. He was supposed to be relaxing damnit, not dealing with the ghosts from his past or any of the other shit he had spent the past 5 years coming to terms with. 

What the hell was it about Thor that made him feel like this anyway? There was barely enough room inside his head for his own fucked up thoughts. He wasn't about to let anybody else get in there too. He let out an aggravated sigh before he settled back down into the water and shut his eyes again, letting the gentle white noise of the running water drown out his bothersome thoughts as he drifted off again.

* * *

A loud rumble that made the entire lodge shudder snapped Rocket out of his reverie. He looked around wildly, completely dazed as he rubbed his eyes, getting readjusted to his surroundings. Shit, how long had he stayed in the tub? He didn't _think_ he had taken too long, but the skin on his hands and feet felt pruney. He guessed that he had gotten a little too relaxed and nodded off for a bit in the water. Rocket wondered if that loud crash had been thunder from the storm outside, but the sound of heavy footsteps wandering around the other room indicated that it was Thor returning with Stormbreaker from his errand. 

Rocket sat in the water for a bit longer, getting the feeling back in his limbs, with part of him just wanting to spend more time soaking. After what felt like an eternity, he finally found the motivation to get out of the tub. 

Rocket looked around in confusion for a few moments before remembering that there was nothing in the vicinity for him to dry off with. As if on cue, Thor pushed open the heavy oak doors to the bathroom with a bundle of fluffy white towels in his arms and a wide grin on his face. Rocket quickly jumped back into the tub and sank shoulder deep into the water.

"Well, good to see you've gotten settled in, my friend!" Thor said boisterously. "Sorry for taking so long, but I ran into a bit of trouble in the store. I had forgotten that they don't accept Krone over in New York, and it seems that entering a shop with a large axe sends people off into a state of panic." he chuckled. "They ended up calling their local law enforcement and it took a good deal longer than I would have thought to convince them that I was in fact, one of the heroes who saved their city from the Chitauri several years back, and you know… their entire planet on numerous occasions." He said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"They told me 'Oh, Thor doesn't have an Axe, he has a hammer, where is your hammer? You can't be Thor.' " He pitched his voice higher as he made his imitation of the offending speaker. "Can you believe that? Telling me I'm not me? I tried to tell them that Mjölnir was currently in possession of Captain Rodgers while he recovered from fighting Thanos only a week ago and I wasn't about to summon it halfway across the world just to prove a point to some little pissants. In the end I had to conjure a bit of lightning to prove who I was. Bloody embarrassing for them eh? But the store manager told me I can get anything I want from Bed Bath & Beyond for free from now on, so it all worked out." He said with a smugly satisfied smile. 

Rocket couldn't help but laugh at that. If there was one thing he loved, it was getting one over on self-righteous assholes. "And all ya came back with was towels? I woulda nabbed half the store and had the manager give me the shoes off his feet too just to really stick it to em." 

"Well they never would have fit me! Much too small for a strapping man like me. He was a pithy little thing. I would have felt badly for him had he not been the cause of so much trouble." Thor laughed as well.

"Hey they wouldn't have fit me either but it's not like I woulda asked for em cause I really needed a pair of ugly Earther shoes, ya know? You think I got that eye I gave ya because I actually needed it?" Rocket shook his head grinning. "Anyway, thanks for picking these up for me, but geez maybe knock next time ya walk in on a guy taking a bath, yeah? Almost flashed you my junk when ya walked in like that." 

Thor gave him a bemused smirk. "You'd have me knock in my own house? Besides, we're both men aren't we? I told you public bathing is normal for us Asgardians, so I very much doubt you have anything between your legs I haven't seen before." 

"Heh, as far as you know Blondie." Rocket retorted. 

_Oh my GOD shut the fuck up!_

Thor chuckled, depositing the bundle of towels at the side of the tub. "In any case I'll leave these here for you, so take as much time as you like. If you need anything else let me know, alright?" 

"You got it. I'll be right out so don't wait up for me." Rocket said as Thor made his way back to the living room and shut the door behind him. With that Rocket emerged from the tub and grabbed a large towel from the pile to dry himself off, happy to be able to get himself into some semblance of not looking like a huge mess at last. Just as he finished with it, he noticed that there had been something placed underneath the first towel. It looked as though Thor had tucked one of his t-shirts into the pile - A well worn dark grey one with the words "Victory or Valhalla" printed across the chest. At first he thought that Thor must have put that in there by mistake or something. That was until he noticed that there was a large hole that had specifically been cut into the back, right about at the point where Rocket's tail would need to stick out from…

"What the hell?" Rocket muttered as he looked at the shirt. Did Thor really expect him to wear this? The fact that it was way too big for him notwithstanding, there was absolutely no way in hell he was going to wear one of Thor's old shirts. Thor was a nice guy for sure, and Rocket guessed that he appreciated the "effort", but he was a bit clueless if he thought the racoon would be caught dead in that. He huffed, tossing it back on top of the pile of towels and made his way to his discarded pack. He had planned to stay here for a few days, so of course he had brought some clothes to change into and a few other supplies. He opened it up and…

"Are you friggin' _kidding_ me??"

Of course, everything inside was soaking wet. It looked like a small hole in his pack had let the rain in, resulting in all of his clothes being just as wet as the ones he had on in the storm. He turned the pack upside down and dumped everything out onto the floor in disgust. Not a single thing had been spared, leaving him with no dry clothes to speak of. He dug through the wet things, snatching up a comb he had brought and raked at his fur in frustration with it as he made his way back to the long mirror. 

"Seriously? Can I catch a friggin break??" He snarled, taking the comb through his tail and wincing as he tore a bit of his fur out. "This is just so. freaking. STUPID!!" How the hell did he find himself in this situation? Sure he supposed he could just put on what he brought with him and call it a day, but the thought of getting back into damp clothes after he had just warmed up in the bath and dried off… He glanced back at the shirt laying on top of the towels and let out and exasperated growl. 

"So much for not looking stupid I guess…" 

He pulled the shirt on over his head, scowling as he looked back into the mirror. The neck hole hung loose around his shoulders, the rest of it so baggy and blousy on him it that he looked like a child wearing his father's shirt. He hastily dove back into the pile of discarded items and dug out a belt. Through some mercy, it had managed to avoid getting particularly wet. He dried it off a bit with a towel before tugging the excess fabric behind him and belting the shirt at the waist. The end result wasn't great, but he at least looked like he was wearing a bathrobe instead of a dress. 

With one final sigh of annoyance, he stuffed his things back into his pack and made his way back out to the living room. He found Thor sprawled out on the leather sofa in front of the fireplace, his bare feet kicked up onto the coffee table. He smiled as he saw Rocket emerge, though it faltered at the dark look the racoon had on his face. 

"Ah, good to see that fits." He offered weakly as he saw Rocket in the shirt.

"You look at this and tell me it fits?" Rocket grumbled. "I look like a friggin' idiot." 

"Ah... My apologies… I figured since you'd be sleeping over you'd need some pajamas and that was the best I could think to do on such short notice. If you'd like I could go back out and… try to find something that's a better fit?" 

Rocket looked over at the crestfallen look on Thor's face, closing his eyes and breathing out deeply. 

_C'mon, you can do this…_

He turned towards the fireplace, taking the wet clothes out of his bag and spreading them out in front of it. "Don't worry about it, alright? It's fine. All my stuff got soaked out there so I'll live for one night. But uh… thanks for this." He said, not entirely convincingly as tugged at the shirt. 

"Are you sure?" Thor said, taking his feet off the table and looking over to where Stormbreaker was resting. "It's not trouble for me to…" 

"Dude, listen to me will ya? I said it's fine." Rocket said, cutting off Thor from protesting any further. "You've done enough for me tonight and I'm not gonna put you out any more than I havta." He hopped up onto the couch next to Thor and gave him a nudge with his elbow. "But if you ever tell anybody about this, I swear to God you'll be eating meat through a straw. Capiche?" 

"Fair enough." Thor conceded. They sat in silence again, Rocket racking his brain to try and come up with something to say. He was just about to open his mouth when Thor gave a large exaggerated yawn, stretching and scratching his belly. "Well, if you don't need anything more I think I'll take my leave off to my room for some sleep. If you need food or drink, you're welcome to anything I have in the kitchen. Make yourself at home, alright?"

"You're going to bed now?" Rocket blinked up at Thor, slightly caught off guard at how sudden the man's newfound exhaustion came along. It wasn't that late, was it? 

"Yes well, it's been a long day you know, and weather like this does tend to make me eager for my bed." Thor said, getting to his feet. "I've brought out a blanket and a pillow for you." He said, nodding to the side of the couch where a large quilted afgan sat folded. "Are you going to be alright sleeping on the sofa? I'm afraid I don't have any extra beds here. You're welcome to take mine though if you'd prefer." Thor added hastily, though from the tone of his voice it was clear that he was just trying to be polite .

"Naw man, don't worry about me. Like I said, I don't wanna put you out. This is nicer than what I got up in the ship." He said. He hesitated for a moment, wanting to ask if everything was alright, but he thought better of it. "Well, sweet dreams Blondie." He said as Thor went around putting out the lamps. Rocket's eyes followed the man around as the room became increasingly draped in darkness, feeling like something about the cabin had changed slightly, but he wasn't sure what it was. Then it suddenly clicked. "Hey... wait a sec. Before you go, what happened to all the pelts ya had everywhere?" 

"Hmm? I put them away when I got back, of course. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I figured from what you said earlier..." 

"Ah. Well I mean it's not like I knew any of 'em personally, but it'd be like if you came over to my place and I had a bunch of people skin sprucing up the place. It was a little freaky." He said, though he suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed he had mentioned anything when he first arrived. "But uh… seriously. Thanks big guy. For the bath, for everything. Even this." He gestured to the baggy shirt Thor had given him. 

Thor shook his head with a small smile. "Think nothing of it my friend. I'll see you in the morning. If you need anything my room is right down here." He said, pointing to the door down the hall to the right of the fireplace. "Have a good night, Sweet Rabbit. I'll see you in the morning." And with that he went off to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

Rocket grabbed the blanket and pillow off the floor and settled in, feeling a bit confused. "That was weird…" he muttered to himself as he curled up under the afgan, watching as the fire continued to blaze in the dark. Had he upset Thor by how he reacted to the shirt? Was he just trying to be polite about Rocket's unexpected visit and couldn't stand to be around him? He massaged his temples again, trying to push the rush of questions out of his head. "God, I really am an asshole…" he muttered. He made up his mind to try and do better tomorrow as he laid his head down on the pillow and got himself comfortable.

Of course, it was entirely possible that Thor really was just tired after all, Rocket thought as his own exhaustion from the day caught up with him. He closed his eyes and fell asleep like he had earlier, the sound of his snores mingling with the crackle of the embers from the fireplace.


	3. Rabbit on the Couch

A brilliant flash of light woke Rocket up with a start, tumbling off the sofa that he had been precariously draped over the edge of just moments before. He swore loudly as he found himself in a tangled heap of blankets on the floor. He looked out the window just in time to see the remains of the forked bolt of lightning that landed dangerously close to the cabin disappear. It was quickly followed by a deafening crash of thunder that made Rocket's ears flatten against his head and his fur stand on end.

"Geez… what time is it?" He mumbled as he wiped drool from his chin and made his way over to the window. It was still pitch dark out, though all he could see was the thick curtain of rain that continued to hammer outside. Was it his imagination or was it storming even harder than it had been earlier? It was probably a good thing that he arrived when he did - any later and he probably would have had to turn back and figure something else out. That being said, he was starting to worry that if the weather continued like this, the lodge would get flooded, and what the hell was he supposed to do then? 

Rocket shuddered, the room having become unpleasantly chilly while he slept. The fire had died down almost entirely, the faint red glow from the smoldering logs being the only source of light in the room. He untangled himself from the blanket and staggered over to the fireplace, his eyes still bleary and unfocused from being awoken so suddenly. He grasped the fireplace poker and stoked the logs until the flames began to rekindle, grabbing another few pieces of wood from the nearby pile and tossing them inside. He took a step back, barely avoiding singeing his nose as a flurry of embers sparked from the newly ignited fire with a loud pop. The room slowly began to fill with a comfortable warmth again. 

How long had he been asleep for anyway? He had gone to bed fairly early, though his eyelids were still heavy in a way that suggested that it was probably not nearly long enough. The muscles in his arms and legs were still pleasantly loose and relaxed from his long soak in the bath earlier. Though he wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and knock right the hell out again, he went to check on the status of his wet pack and clothes. 

"Tch, damn, still damp…" 

With the shitty luck that he'd been having in the last 24 hours, he wasn't particularly hopeful that they'd be totally dry by the morning, but he did his best to adjust them in front of the fire and speed up the process. As he did, the communicator he usually wore on his wrist slipped out of his pocket and onto the floor. The green light that indicated somebody had been trying to contact him was currently flashing. A flicker of guilt rose in his chest when he saw who the multiple contact requests had been sent by over the past several hours.

"Ah shit, I was supposed to let him know that I made it out here okay..." 

Rocket smacked his palm to his face with a frustrated growl before he picked up the communicator and jumped back up onto the couch. He opened up the comms channel for the Benatar and propped the device up on the table in front of him as he stood by for someone to pick up his signal. He didn't have to wait very long though, since he was greeted by the particularly anxious-looking face of the lanky teenage Groot on the video screen almost immediately.

"I am Groot??"

"Geez man that was quick. What, were you waiting up by the comms this whole time?" Rocket said with a smirk. 

"I am GROOT!!!" his friend replied angrily, slamming his hands onto the ship's console.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry! I got here and some stuff just kind of happened and then I ended up knocking out for a bit. I know I shoulda called earlier. I didn't mean to worry ya kid. I feel like a douche." He offered sheepishly. He genuinely didn't like to make Groot upset if he could help it. "But yeah, I didn't have any trouble getting here. I mean it wasn't _fun,_ and I showed up looking like a big friggin dumbass, but I made it here in one piece."

"I am… Groot?" he pointed a long, gnarled finger at the baggy t-shirt the raccoon was wearing and laughed. 

Rocket could feel himself grow hot under his fur from the snarky little smile on Groot's face. "Yeah yeah, I know. Look, all my clothes got drenched and I guess this was the best thing Thor could think of or whatever, I don't friggin know man. You think I wanna be wearing this stupid thing?"

"I am _Grooooot_..." he replied, his grin widening. If it were possible for a tree to be smarmy, Groot had apparently mastered it.

"Hey HEY! Just what is THAT supposta mean huh?" Rocket snapped, caught off guard by the unusually… _lascivious_ remark Groot had made. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you? Where does a kid even learn to say something like that anyway?" 

"I am Groot." he said with a shrug. 

"I shoulda guessed. I'm gonna hafta have a talk with Drax when I get back about the stuff he's been blurting out while you're around…" Rocket huffed. "Though I guess it means we don't gotta have 'the talk' anytime soon, and thank god for that because the hell if I know how your body works."

Groot didn't reply, only giving Rocket a disgusted grimace. 

"Ohhhh _what_ ? You mean you don't _like_ it when people bring up weird sexual stuff out of nowhere like a jackass? Coulda fooled me!" 

Groot gave Rocket a look that was borderline pitying, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "I am Groot?" 

"Whaddya mean, 'Was what I said weird?' Of course it's weird!" He said, though he also didn't deny anything that was said either. They had never spoken about it before, but it was obvious that the kid already knew about how Rocket felt about Thor. Groot always was too damn perceptive for his own good. Well, it looked like there was no use trying to backpedal at this point… 

"This whole damn thing is weird, and it has been ever since I got back to Earth and found him again…" Rocket said quietly. He curled up into a tight ball, his arms on his knees and his chin tucked behind his elbow as he stared off in the direction of Thor's room." I dunno man… " 

Groot stared at Rocket for a moment. "... I am Groot?" he said with a hint of worry in his voice. It wasn't like the gruff raccoon to shed his prickly exterior and show so much vulnerability like this, so Groot knew that when he did, it was serious. 

"Mmm? Naw not because of that." he said, Groot's question bringing him back from the pesky thoughts that had crept into his mind again. "... Or I dunno, maybe a little I guess. You gotta admit it's pretty shocking when you leave a guy with a build that would put a Kree warrior to shame and come back to him looking like friggin' Santa Claus." 

It would have been easy to just leave it at that, but he knew Groot would see right through it. "I don't really care that he got fat though. Not really..." Groot raised his brow at this. "Look, I _know_ I gave him a ton of crap about it. Just part of my charm I guess, but I'm telling ya that ain't what's been bothering me. There's just something different about him now, like he's not the same guy that I met when he slammed face first into my ship. Like he's not the same guy I watched take a blast from a goddamn neutron star and get right back up on his feet ready ta fight." 

"I am Groot!" Groot interrupted indignantly. 

"Yeah yeah, I know you helped, but you know what I mean. After talking to him and hearing what he was going through, after _seeing_ just what Thor could do, I thought the guy could come back from anything, ya know? I never figured the next time I saw him, I'd find him broken… "

"I am Groot… " 

Rocket snorted bitterly. "Listen you weren't there man… You got brought back when he got his magic hammer and figured out he was 'worthy' or whatever so I guess he was riding high for a bit when he was fighting Thanos. And before you ask, I have no idea what the hell any of that actually means. The guy really _really_ loves his hammers I guess." He shrugged.

"But you weren't around to see what he was like when we first found him hiding in that shitty little cottage. Hell even after that, the guy couldn't go one day without stumbling around like a friggin' moron or passing out drunk during a tactics session when the rest of us were busy busting our asses to make things right… He was just such a goddamn mess." He sighed, his voice not full of the usual ire or ridicule, but genuine regret. The feeling sank into his stomach like a cold, wet stone. "Now he seems to be a little bit more like the guy I got to know back then, but I dunno. Something's still… Off." 

He stroked his hand across his face, his frustration mounting as he tried to find the words he needed to express how he felt and failed like a diver missing the pool and crashing into a bloody, mangled mess on the concrete. That was another thing that was driving him crazy: If there was a list of things Rocket hated, not having the answers he needed and feeling stupid would be in his top ten. Well, _maybe_ top 15. It was a pretty long list afterall.

Groot looked at him in silence for awhile, but Rocket _knew_ that look. It was how Groot looked when he was trying to figure out the right way to say something, even if it was something that Rocket didn't want to hear - coincidentally that was something else on the list of things he hated… 

"I am Groot." 

_Ouch... Dead on target._

"I am Groot?" he repeated at Rocket's silence. 

"Okay okay, you're right. Happy? Add another goddamn point to the 'Groot was right and I was a big stupid dumbass' scoreboard!" He snapped. "Look, I _am_ embarrassed about how I feel about him, alright? What's not to be embarrassed about? You don't spend the past five years thinking about somebody and hope that the next time you see em, they'll be a big friggin' disappointment." 

"I am Groot?" he said patiently. 

"I have no idea what I was expecting. Not _that."_ He said, still struggling to explain himself properly. "But it was a hell of a lot easier to be pissed off at him and wonder what the hell I was thinking in the first place when he was stumbling around like an idiot. But now that he's gotten his shit together it's even worse! Because even though I've seen the guy at his absolute worst, even though I should have every reason to move the hell on and just get on with my life, I still want that giant doofus to LIKE me and it's friggin' HUMILIATING!!"

Admitting that was so bitterly unpleasant that Rocket felt like he might just barf right there on Thor's carpet. He had gotten so worked up that he was practically yelling. Suddenly Rocket became distinctly aware that there was only a wooden door between him and the Asgardian, and a jolt of panic shot down his spine. He paused for a moment, listening for any sound of movement in the other room, though all he could hear was the ongoing torrent of rain outside. Hopefully Thor was as much of a heavy sleeper sober as he was drunk. 

"There, that's what you wanted to hear right? You happy now?" he said lowering his voice as he talked through gritted teeth. "Moron of the friggin year right here…" Rocket slumped back against the couch cushions, his expression resembling a surly kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "And you know what's the _real_ kick in the mouth about all this shit? Even at the guy's lowest point, he's still outta my league…" 

"I _am_ Groot." he said insistently. He probably would have put his hand on Rocket's shoulder if he had been physically present. 

"Thanks kid, but you don't know what you're talking about…" Rocket grumbled, still refusing to meet the tree's gaze. "When we went back in time to Asgard I got a look at his ex. Pretty tough act to follow even if I wasn't a raccoon… Though I gotta say, not the most observant girl in the world." He couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit of savage pleasure at the thought of how easily he had managed to subdue her to extract the Reality Stone. 

"Look, it's just not gonna happen Groot. I may be an idiot for feeling this way about him but I'm not so clueless to think he'd actually be interested in me. And like hell I'm gonna turn into a mopey crybaby piece of shit because some guy doesn't like me." He finally turned to look Groot in the eyes. "But that doesn't mean I can't still care about the big dope. I can still be a good friend when he needs one, and right now I think he does." 

"I am Groot." the tree sighed, though he followed it with a wink.

"Yeah yeah, shaddup." Rocket said with a smirk. "Anyway I'm fine alright? Tell the rest of the knucklehead brigade that I'll see em in a couple of days. And _you_ keep an eye on Quill for me OK? He's gonna be a mess for a while with Gamora gone, so try not to be too much of a smart-ass around him, capiche?" 

Groot rolled his eyes. "I am Groot." 

"Yeah, I know you think he's lame. So do I, but I'm serious. Don't be an asshole. Anyway I'm gonna try and get back to sleep alright? Talk to ya later kid." 

Groot waved goodbye before the screen went blank and Rocket was left with nothing but the white noise of the rain. His head was starting to throb again. He _definitely_ hadn't expected their conversation to take the turn that it had, and he was feeling incredibly stupid for having admitted his feelings about Thor. The fact that Groot seemed to have already known in the first place and that his poker face about the whole thing had been painfully easy to see through was an embarrassing revelation. But there was still something about saying the words out loud that made him want to crawl into a hole and die, or shoot somebody, or _both_. 

He sighed, wishing he had brought something along for him to tinker with as he felt his temples start to throb again. Working with his hands was usually an easy way to distract himself, but without so much as a scrap of tech besides his communicator in the lodge, he was left with nothing to occupy him but his thoughts. 

"Goddamnit, why the hell didn't I at least bring along a blaster?" 

Rocket usually made it a point never to go anywhere without a minimum of at least three guns and a few well-stashed explosives, but he thought it might be a bit strange to show up to your depressed friend's house packing heavy weapons, so against his better judgment he left them back on the ship. Of course, bringing nothing to defend himself would be stupid, even on a low risk planet like Earth, so he had packed away a few knives, but that was it. Maybe he could use them to whittle one of the fireplace logs into something? No, that was stupid… He guessed there was nothing else to do but deal with the impending migraine he felt coming on as best as he could while he tried to get back to sleep. 

Of course after his conversation with Groot, he was wide awake. Just how much of what he had said was the truth? Was he really being honest when he said that he had accepted that Thor could never be anything more than a friend? Or was there still a tiny piece of him that held on to the stupid fantasy that the big man would ever be interested in him? 

_C'mon, get real. Like he'd ever want a furry little freak like me…_

He tried to relax as best as he could, but he found himself having to swat away at his thoughts like they were bothersome flies. He tossed and turned through the night until the patterning rain and the low rumble of thunder outside eventually sent him off to sleep. 

He awoke the next day feeling cranky and irritable, which was hardly unexpected for Rocket, though the fact that the weather remained just as shitty and his clothes remained just as damp did little to improve his mood. The sky was the same murky blackish-grey that it had been yesterday, and what little he could see outside the deluge looked like a swamp. Rocket was certain that if he so much as stepped foot off the front porch, he'd sink waist deep in a mire of viscid mud. The thought alone made his fur prickle with discomfort after what he had been through yesterday. 

He had gotten used to being in cramped spaces for long periods of time: Afterall the lodge was certainly more spacious than the Benatar. But there was something about the idea of being stranded here with things being as awkward as they were with Thor that was starting to give him a bad case of cabin fever. A wooden clock hanging on the wall across from the fireplace indicated that it was already half past noon, and the door to the Asgardian's room was still shut tight. He was hardly surprised since Thor would often have to be dragged out of bed at the Avengers Compound but he was always badly hung over back then. Maybe Rocket had woken him up with his yelling last night after all…

His thoughts were interrupted by a particularly loud grumble from his belly. It occurred to him that he hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon, the realization of just how hungry he had gotten made him feel like he had been punched in the gut. He had packed away a few ration bars that hadn't managed to get too soggy, but the prospect of eating them now wasn't entirely pleasant. 

"Well, he did say I could help myself to anything in the kitchen ..." 

A painfully empty stomach was more than enough to distract him from any thoughts of Thor for the moment, so he latched onto his hunger with a laser-like focus. He hopped off the couch, grumbling as he did his best to readjust the belted t-shirt he had slept in before going off to search for the kitchens. Through the process of elimination, he guessed that it must have been the set of doors across from where the bathrooms were since it was the only one he hadn't been in yet besides Thor's room. 

Unsurprisingly, the kitchen was just as low-tech and rustic as the rest of the lodge had been. A large stone fireplace sat in the rear with a heavy-looking cast iron cauldron hanging over it. A low woodfire oven made of grey brick sat to the right of an intricately carved mahogany table that gleamed even in the dim light from the window. Assorted pieces of copper cookware hung from the walls alongside bundles of garlic, onions, and a variety of herbs that filled the room with a fragrant, earthy smell. 

What _was_ a surprise was that even though there were several massive ale casks that lined the room, they all appeared to be completely sealed up since none of them had any spigots. Rocket went over to an old fashioned wooden ice box and explored its contents. Eggs, a variety of cured meats, an assortment of vegetables, but not a bottle of beer in sight. 

"Looks like he's been keeping on the straight and narrow after all. Huh. Good for him." Rocket said to himself, a little bemused.

He continued to take stock of what else was available to eat as he gnawed a bit of tough salted jerky he had found in a mason jar. Normally he would have been fine with just that, but lacking anything mechanical to tinker with, he would settle with cooking as his second choice for keeping his mind occupied.

The inquisitiveness and artistry that made him a master engineer also made Rocket a fairly decent cook, though general disinterest and sheer unadulterated laziness prevented him from doing it very often. Still, there was something he found satisfying about figuring out how to use the archaic cooking tools. He quietly sang along to one of the songs Quill had played to exhaustion over the years while he seared up a few thick rashers of bacon, replacing the lyrics with increasingly off-color versions until the results were both completely unintelligible and shockingly inappropriate. Still, by the end he had managed to cook up a fairly appetizing breakfast, pairing the bacon with savory poached eggs and some smoked herrings along with a large hunk of dark crusty rye bread he had taken from the pantry. 

He sat on top of the short wooden stool he had used to navigate the high countertops of the kitchen, eating his breakfast while he listened to the raindrops pounding against the window pane so hard that they might as well have been a shower of pebbles. He took his time with his meal, licking a bit of sweet cloudberry jam that he had also requisitioned from the Asgardian's stores off of his fingers. It went surprisingly well with the bacon. Maybe if he ate slowly enough, he wouldn't have to go back out there and deal with this awkward Thor situation.

Rocket was just starting to grab his second plateful when he saw the grey sky suddenly flicker white from the window, the sky cracking with an arcing bolt of lightning much like the one that had startled him awake last night. He quickly dropped his fork and covered his ears, face screwed up in anticipation for the deafening blast of thunder that would shake the house shortly after.

But instead of the sharp peal he was expecting, all that came was a low, gentle rumble. 

He opened his eyes in surprise. For a moment, Rocket was momentarily dumbstruck by how he had reacted. What, was he _really_ here flinching and cowering like a wuss over a little bit of thunder and lightning? Even though there was nobody around to see, embarrassment still sunk in his stomach with a dull thud. 

And then all of a sudden, it hit him. 

_What the hell are you doing?_

He had come all this way out to check up on Thor. To make sure that his friend was doing okay after losing everything, followed by getting the shit kicked out of him by a tyrannical purple titan with arms thicker than the average person's waist. He had walked here in the middle of the worst storm he had ever seen just because he cared about the guy, and here he was hiding in the kitchen just because he was _embarrassed?_ He looked at his reflection in the window with disgust. Who the hell was this guy? Sure as hell wasn't him: The Rocket he knew wasn't a wimpy coward who backed down when things got tough. _This_ was a guy Rocket wanted to slap the everloving crap out of. 

Groot was right. He was being stupid instead of just accepting how he felt about the guy, but he was done pussyfooting around. He was going to do what he came here to do - be there for Thor and stop moping around like a goddamn idiot. With his determination renewed, he piled the rest of the food onto a plate and walked out into the main hall of the lodge. 

He found himself standing in front of the door to Thor's room, arms laden with an offering of lukewarm eggs and bacon. He tamped down on the flicker of hesitation he felt in his stomach, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door sharply with his free hand. 

"Oi Blondie! You awake in there? I got breakfast for ya!" he shouted, wondering how exactly a god liked his eggs in the morning. 


	4. Rabbit on the Bed

Knowing the Asgardian's tendency to sleep like a log, Rocket was expecting to need a few attempts to wake him up, so he was slightly caught off guard when Thor responded with a clear, "Come in!" immediately after he knocked. He shoved the heavy oak door open with a grunt, equally surprised to see that Thor wasn't still under the covers, but sitting upright by the foot of his bed. His back was to the door as he gazed out the window onto the torrential downpour outside, turning to face Rocket with a smile. "Well, good morning my friend!" 

"I hate to break it to ya pal, but it's already past noon." Rocket said with a smirk as he made his way inside. "I figured you were still sleepin' though. Wasn't sure if I should wake ya or not." 

"Hmm? Oh no, I've been awake for some time now…" he said distractedly, glancing back at the window, a series of smeared greys, greens, and blacks the only thing visible through the rain streaking across the glass. The bright smile he had given the raccoon moments earlier faded, becoming wistful. 

And _there_ it was again… That unpleasant awkwardness that made Rocket want to tiptoe out from the room and hope that Thor would be none the wiser. But after his little revelation in the kitchen, he had made up his mind: He wasn't going to hide from the big knucklehead, no matter how uncomfortable things got. He was going to do everything in his power to keep Thor from isolating himself again if it killed him - and it was a distinct possibility that it very much _would_. 

"Alright big guy, you think you can take a break from your busy schedule of moping around here like a sad-sack for a bit and have something to eat?" he said, trying to keep the tone of his voice playful as he dropped the plate into Thor's lap. The big man blinked down at it with a puzzled expression. 

"What's this?" 

"It's food. You got wax in your ears or somethin'? What did you think I meant when I said 'I got breakfast for ya'?" 

"You made this?" 

"No, I ran down to the old general store in the middle of this goddamn storm just for the thrill of it, whaddya think?" 

" _You_ made this?" 

"What the hell is that supposta mean? _Yes_ I made this! Is it that much of a friggin shock?" 

"Actually I'm shocked you could even reach the top of the stove." the Asgardian gave Rocket a wink and a devilish grin. 

"Well _fine,_ if you're gunna be a big jackass you don't havta eat it!" Rocket huffed, snatching the plate away from Thor, the fork almost clattering to the floor. 

"Come now don't be like that!" Thor laughed. "I'm sorry my friend, I couldn't help but tease you a bit. I just wasn't expecting you to cook for me is all." he patted the space next to him on his bed. "Come back over here you rascal! I apologize, alright? I'd be happy to eat what you've made." he said, doing his best to smooth the raccoon's ruffled feathers. 

"Alright, alright…" Rocket passed the plate back to Thor and hopped up on the bed beside him. "Just don't say I never did anything nice for ya." he grumbled, giving the man a gentle punch in the arm for his cheekiness. 

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Thor said with a smirk as he sank his fork into one of the spiced poached eggs and brought it to his mouth. His mismatched eyes went wide, his face lighting up with the genuine happiness of a man who had tasted something delicious. "Rabbit, this is _fantastic_!" he beamed down warmly at Rocket before he started digging into his meal with a sheer, unadulterated gusto that the raccoon had never seen before - and he had watched Drax demolish his meals in record time. 

He ate like a man starved, grunting and snarling like an animal as he gnashed the bacon and herring between his teeth, sopping up the mixture of runny yolk and jam from his plate with the bread and scarfing it down. "Not that I… Gnff… doubted your skill, mind you… Mmff… but it's been ages since I've had a proper home-cooked meal!" Thor said with his mouth full, his cheeks bulging as he got crumbs all over his beard.

It was equal parts adorable and disgusting to watch. Rocket almost couldn't look away from the spectacle, though he didn't want to get caught gawping at the man. So he settled for trying to appear as nonchalant as he possibly could as he looked around at the bedroom while Thor ate. 

The room was quite dark for how spacious it was, though that may have been due to the only light in the place coming from the windows, and with the gloomy weather it was understandably little. A small but handsome fireplace similar to the one in the main living area sat with the cold ashes of the logs from the night before in it, and though there were oil lamps of various sizes sitting on the sturdy wooden dressers and tables, none of them had been lit. 

Despite this, Rocket thought it was a relatively cozy space, even with his taste for more high-tech decor. It was entirely possible that the design aesthetic of New Asgard was starting to rub off on him - minus the pelts of course. After years of sleeping in narrow bunks and rough cots with threadbare sheets on various ships, he would have killed for a bed like the one Thor had in his room.

To call it "massive" would be an understatement. It looked as though even Banner could comfortably fit his hulking frame onto the bed with a bit of room to spare. It was piled high with pillows and an assortment of quilts and blankets, with the wooden headboard carved to match the design of the golden throne in the atrium of the lodge. It definitely looked like a bed fit for a king. 

To the left, a comfy looking leather armchair and ottoman sat in front of the fireplace, facing a large and distinctly out of place flat screen television on the other side of the room. Rocket was puzzled to see that it was not in fact plugged into anything though, since the cable could be seen hanging behind it. Maybe he was just comforted by having it around? Quill had been known to hoard all kinds of useless bullshit after all… 

He was about to ask Thor about it when the man gave a hearty rumble of satisfaction, his plate so thoroughly cleaned that he may as well have run it through a dishwasher. "Odin's beard, that was good!" he said, patting his stomach and sounding like he had just finished a marathon… Or a particularly intense sexual encounter, complete with shortness of breath and a goofy self-satisfied grin upon finishing. "You're quite the cook!" 

Rocket flushed under his fur, unused to being praised for his work. "Geez you're a mess… You've got egg all over your beard… " he said, grabbing a towel from the wash basin sitting next to the bed and wringing it out before tossing it over to Thor. "And it was just a little breakfast. You don't have to blow smoke up my ass, ya know." 

Thor snorted at the colorful euphemism as he wiped his face clean. "What in the Nine Realms are you talking about? I mean it! In fifteen hundred years I never quite mastered the art of cooking. A bit difficult to do more than roast meat over an open flame when you're battling giants in the frozen wastes of Jötunheim and other… erm, impressively awesome and time-consuming feats. Like wrestling massive sea serpents and uh … Lifting. Things like that." he said, looking slightly embarrassed at the admission. 

"Heh, seriously?" Rocket rolled his eyes at Thor's excuses. "I've spent most of my life breaking out of high security prisons and running from everything from angry space monsters to entire fleets I've pissed off single-handedly and I still found the time to teach myself how ta cook. The way I see it, ya ain't got a leg ta stand on there Blondie." the raccoon sniggered. 

"I can… scramble an egg." Thor offered weakly. "I just never learned how to cook all fancy and proper like this. I was a warrior prince who was raised to protect the throne of Asgard! You think that I was offered cooking lessons in between my combat training? The feasts were already prepared for me when I would return from slaying all manner of terrible foes and whatnot…" he muttered, his bluster petering out. Rocket got the impression that the big guy was actually a bit self-conscious about his lack of culinary expertise given his sheepish demeanor. 

"Alright alright don't pout so much your majesty. It was my turn to bust your chops." Rocket chuckled. "You're right about one thing though - I've never cooked anything for anyone else, but there's a first time for everything I guess. I'm gonna havta take your word for it that I'm good at it though. Never seen anybody hoover down a meal quite like _that_ before." 

Rocket suddenly realized that his comment sounded like he was poking fun at Thor's weight and winced internally, but the God of Thunder just gave a hearty laugh in response.

"Hah! Well we Asgardians have a saying, you know. 'If something is good, you take it!'" He said, giving Rocket a playful slap on the back that almost sent him flying off the bed. "When you live the life of a warrior, you never know if the next battle will be your last before you're sent off to join your ancestors. When you find something good, you've got to savor it while you can. It doesn't matter if it's a thrilling battle, a passionate romance, or a particularly good meal: You should savor it to the fullest. To do anything less would be to waste what fate has chosen to give you in that moment." Thor said, smiling down at Rocket. 

"Besides, it's a good way to show the cook you appreciate their efforts. It's _also_ Asgardian custom to smash the dish when you've enjoyed something, but my Midgardian friends told me that tends to be frowned upon here. Also I'm running a bit low on clean plates at the moment…"

"Hey, you could always go and make good on that store's offer to get more of em for free couldn't ya?" Rocket said, amused by the notion. 

Thor seemed to consider it for a moment before shaking his head with a smirk. "Hah, perhaps not. It's a bit different when you're the one who has to clean it up yourself."

"Suit yourself big guy." He said, stretching out lazily on Thor's bed, the satisfaction of both a full belly and his friend's praise washing over him. "Maybe if you're real nice ta me I'll make dinner later. Hell, I might even be able to teach you some cooking while I'm staying here with ya. Shouldn't be too much harder than fighting a bunch of giants eh?" 

"Hrm… That remains to be seen." Thor chuckled. "I make no promises, but I'll do my best to be a willing apprentice to your tutelage." 

"Fair enough." Rocket said as he closed his eyes and listened to the impromptu song of the raindrops against the window. "So how long were you planning on keeping yourself holed up in your room huh? I was starting to get worried about ya." 

Thor laid back on the bed alongside the raccoon with a sigh, scratching at his stomach idly as he stared up at the ceiling. "I didn't mean to worry you. I suppose you've been doing a better job playing host than I have, so I'm sorry about that." the big man said guiltily. "There's just been… A lot on my mind." 

"Don't sweat it Blondie. I didn't come here to make ya feel like you had ta wait up on me." he turned to face the pensive Asgardian. "Everything hittin' ya all at once now that you're sober?"

"Yes and no…" Thor replied softly. "It's not as though I wasn't aware of just how bad things had gotten when I was living with Korg and Miek, but the thoughts I was trying to… well, 'distract' myself from back then were a bit different. Of course I still mourn everything that was lost in the war for the Infinity Stones. My home, my people, my family… all of that _still_ hurts. Going to retrieve the Reality Stone and seeing Asgard again… seeing my mother alive and knowing there was nothing I could do to stop her from dying… it was almost like a cruel joke. Those old wounds that I spent the last few years trying to drown in as much beer as I could get my hands on were torn open again, red and raw. Sobriety _does_ make that more difficult to deal with."

Thor's voice cracked a bit as he was talking, though it was obvious he was doing his best to keep his composure. Rocket wondered if having this conversation was something that he had been dreading this whole time, that maybe _he_ had been hiding away just so he could avoid it. Now that the floodgates had been wrenched open though, it was impossible for him to stop. 

"But before, what frightened me was that I didn't know who I was anymore, and when you've been alive for as long as I have, that's truly terrifying." Thor said, shifting to look over at Rocket, his eyes misty. "You'd think that fifteen hundred years would be enough time to truly become who you were always destined to be. But just because you can live for eons doesn't mean that time passes by any faster than it does for mortals, or that your _memory_ doesn't fade any slower. Hel, in only the past ten years, things have changed greatly for me. Every single truth in my life that I thought would remain untouchable and constant when I was a hundred years younger are no more - including that I could never fail so grandly when not only Asgard, but all of the Nine Realms needed me to succeed." he said, bitterly spitting out the words as though they were bile on his tongue.

Thor paused, glancing over at Rocket almost as though he was desperately hoping for him to interrupt. The raccoon sat silent though, simply nodding for him to continue. Thor sighed and pushed on. "You would think that defeating Thanos would have been enough to put my mind at ease… But now, I'm afraid that I haven't changed _enough_." he said, his voice heavy with shame. "That after everything I've been through, I'm still so brash and arrogant that all it will take is another loss to send me running off like a craven whelp who seeks comfort in the bottom of a barrel of ale..." 

The big man sat up with a grunt, resting his back against the bed's sturdy wooden footboard. "When you and I were back on Asgard, being able to summon Mjölnir was something I didn't think I would ever be able to do again, given what I had become. But the fact that I still could… the fact that I was the same Thor who was still _worthy_ even after failing so utterly and completely… it gave me the will to fight again." he said, reflexively clasping the air around his fist as though hoping to find the grip of his old weapon there. "Having that knowledge was comforting. It's a small thing, but it's what I've been reminding myself to get me through the days when I become depressed. Funnily enough it helps me not want to drink as much as I did. I want to be a better person to live up to that worthiness, if that makes any sense..." 

Rocket sat up as well, scooting over to sit directly in front of Thor. "You know, you really didn't need a magic hammer to figure that out, dumbass." he said softly, poking the Asgardian's stomach with his finger. "I coulda told ya that. Hell, you've got a whole group of people who've fought alongside you all these years who trust ya, and _they_ all know who you are, even if you forget it. That oughta be enough to tell you that you're 'worthy', whatever the hell that means. Maybe it doesn't mean as much coming from me instead of some all-powerful weapon of destiny, but I can tell ya without a doubt you're the kinda guy who would give somebody the shirt off his back, and I know that because I'm literally friggin wearing one of 'em. That should count for something eh?"

Rocket could see a bashful smile bloom on Thor's lips under his bushy mustache, a small surge of satisfaction tingling in the swarthy raccoon's stomach in response. "Look, I dunno if it's gonna be easy to fix all of your issues man - I've still got plenty of my own that I'm workin' on, and it sure as hell hasn't been easy. There are some days that you feel like the biggest stinkin' pile of garbage that ever existed, and others where you feel like the trash bag's only half full. I know it's hard to get up every day and feel okay when you're stuck inside your own friggin head and you can't see a way out. But even if _you_ don't think you can do it, you've gotta trust me when I say I wouldn't bet against ya. You can do this." he said firmly, pressing his hand against Thor's leg for emphasis. 

Suddenly Rocket found himself lifted off his feet, Thor's muscular arms wrapped around him as he was pulled into a tight embrace. 

"Thank you, Sweet Rabbit…" he whispered softly into his ear, his husky voice sending a prickling sensation down every strand of fur across his body, equal parts pleasant and unbearable. His face was pushed up against the Asgardian's strong barrel chest, that distinctive 'Thor' smell of musk and ozone filling his nostrils. The weight of the man's powerful body pressing up against his own made him feel small in a way that wasn't entirely disagreeable… 

"H-hey! C'mon, easy now!" Rocket yelped, squirming fruitlessly against the man's sturdy grip. Thor quickly released him, sending him tumbling backwards over his legs and onto the mattress. 

"Ah! I'm sorry about that, my friend... I forgot you don't like hugs." Thor said apologetically. 

"Okay _first_ of all, I didn't want you hugging me back when I went to pick you up with Banner because you were drunk off your ass and smelled like shit." Rocket grumbled as he straightened his rumpled shirt. "Secondly I _don't_ like hugs. But… I'll make an exception for ya just this once, so consider yourself lucky." he said, doing his best to hide his grin underneath a scowl and failing terribly at it. 

Thor had no such hangups though, flashing his brilliantly white smile at Rocket. "Hah! And so I shall. I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me though." the big man said, patting Rocket on the back gently enough to not send him sprawling this time. "You must find me a hen-hearted fool. Fifteen hundred years old and I still yearn for my mother's consult…"

"Yeah well… I never had a mom, so I can't really hold it against ya." Rocket shrugged. "She seemed like a nice lady though, you know, for the couple seconds I got to meet her for anyway. She musta been pretty smart though, since she was able to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours." 

A slight sense of anxiety began to creep up on the raccoon as he became distinctly aware of the fact that he needed to proceed delicately with this particular subject. He had just gotten Thor to come out of his shell, and he wasn't sure he had it in him to cook another meal at the moment if he needed to be coaxed back out. Mercifully, Thor seemed more than eager to continue the conversation, his cheeks glowing ruddy as Rocket mentioned her strong suits, his smile wide and infectious. 

"But of course! My mother was the wisest woman in Asgard. She needed to be, with so many stubborn, pigheaded men in the family that needed to be kept in line." he said, smirking bashfully at the thought of his own brashness. "My father was always impatient and inflexible in his judgment. He could be as fearsome as the seas in a raging storm and as cold as the emptiest void, but even so my mother would always stand up for my brother and I even when we were at our worst." 

Thor sighed, but his smile wasn't melancholy as it had been earlier. It was gentle, with the warmth of fond remembrance behind it. "Still, it wasn't just her seer's magic that made her such an excellent arbiter of character. There was something within her that I have yet to find anywhere else in the Nine Realms, and I doubt I ever will again. She had a way of being able to peer into your very essence. As though she could view the seeds of the being you were always meant to become, and the steps that needed to be taken to grow and nurture that bountiful harvest. She could see it even when you failed to." 

Thor peered at Rocket thoughtfully a moment, as though he were trying to exercise the same judgment on him. "You know, I think she would have liked you a great deal."

This completely caught Rocket off guard. "What? You've gotta be shittin' me." He sputtered. "Why the hell would she have liked me? Nobody ever likes me - nobody with good taste anyway." 

"I most certainly am not 'shitting you', whatever that means." Thor's brow furrowed, looking suitably befuddled at his friend's reaction. "My mother didn't suffer fools and would pierce through dishonesty and evasiveness with spear-like precision. As sharp tongued as you are, that willingness to lay bare unpleasant truths is a trait you both shared. She would have appreciated your strength of character." he said, giving the raccoon's tail a soft tug. "I'm sure of that." 

"I dunno… Maybe." Rocket muttered. 

Throughout his life, he had gotten used to a specific set of reactions when people saw him. A series of involuntary responses that perhaps people didn't notice they were doing, but that he had become a master of identifying: A half raised eyebrow, an upturned nose, quick glances as they did their best not to stare… and those were just from people viewed him as a curiosity rather than with outright disdain.

But as he thought back to their encounter, there was none of that with Thor's mother. She hadn't recoiled or even expressed the slightest surprise at his presence. She spoke to him with courtesy, like a _person_ rather than some sideshow freak that had burst into the room. It was almost as though she had been expecting to see him there. As if she already knew not only who he was, but the role that he was to play in both the salvation of the universe as well as in her son's life. A chill that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room ran down his spine at the thought. 

"Ahem, well…" Thor said, apparently mistaking Rocket's pensiveness for disinterest. "Let me not bore you with all these old stories of ages past eh?" 

"You ain't boring me big guy." Rocket muttered. "I never had anybody like that in my life - not until recently anyway. Guess I'm a bit jealous that you got to experience all that growing up. Asgard seems like it was a pretty special place."

"It truly was. I've never seen any sight as beautiful as the light gleaming off the golden spires of the city in the early morning light." Thor's gaze shifted back to the storm outside the window as a bolt of lightning cracked across the gloom. "Earth is beautiful in its own way of course, and I know that in time New Asgard will flourish…" he said with a deep exhale. "But it was more than just our home that was lost. Much of our recorded history and culture is gone. It falls on the survivors to keep it alive, though we have nothing more than our stories…" 

"Well then…" Rocket grabbed a fistful of Thor's beard and pulled him away from the window to face him. "Why don't you tell me some then?" 

The big man's mouth hung agape, momentarily stunned. "W-what?" 

"You heard me knucklehead." he said, releasing his grip. "Tell me some of your favorite stories about Asgard." 

Thor stared down at his companion incredulously. "Is… that something you'd really like to hear, or are you putting me on?"

Rocket went to the opposite end of the bed, falling back with a grunt as he made himself comfortable in an avalanche of goose down pillows. "Well it's not like I've got anything better ta do. And if it keeps ya from sitting around brooding all day then hell, I'm all for it." he said with a wry smile. "But I'm warning ya, if you start crying, I'm out. Capiche?" 

"This is my comeuppance for letting my guard down around you isn't it you scoundrel?" Thor laughed. "Fine fine, but if I'm going to do this I need to set the mood properly!" 

Thor hopped off the bed, his expression becoming almost impish with glee as he made his way to the fireplace and tossed some fresh logs on it. He stood back, holding his hand out as an arc of bluish-white electricity shot from his fingertips, igniting the wood into an impressive blaze. He grabbed one of the kerosene lamps from the nearby table and lit the wick on the fire, repeating the process with several others until the room was bathed in a cheery amber glow. 

"Now then!" Thor jumped back onto the bed, sitting cross-legged across from Rocket. "What do you know about the Nine Realms of the Cosmos?" 

"If I'm being totally honest here, nothin'." Rocket said. "Only that you Asgardians can't seem to resist talking about it in every other friggin sentence." he added with a chuckle. 

"Well for good reason! It's quite important you see." Thor replied before clearing his throat, readying a speech that he had made only once before several years ago. "The people of Earth's ancestors called it magic. Now they call it science. I come from a place where they're one and the same thing…" 

At first Rocket found it difficult to follow along, and he wondered if he would be stuck listening to the world's most confusing history lesson about a magical tree with branches that spread across several galaxies. And there was a bit about "Dark Elves" or something but Rocket would be lying if he said he hadn't politely nodded while he zoned out at that part. But once Thor started talking about his own adventures across the universe, he couldn't help but get hooked. 

He had listened to a few of his crew mates tell what they called "stories" before, but it was nothing like this. With Drax, it usually meant a very literal retelling of what most people would consider private family matters, with a healthy dose of TMI thrown in for good measure. Quill would often give episode-by-episode recaps of old TV shows he grew up watching, adding in emphatic (and unsolicited) rants about certain story lines and character arcs he would have changed so that couples he preferred would have ended up together. Both were things he could only tolerate for a few minutes before finding a way to tune it out - and leaving the room was usually the most effective way to do that. 

Thor on the other hand, was a surprisingly engaging storyteller. He was animated and enthusiastic, often acting out particularly exciting moments. He would even do different voices for the characters, from the low grumble of a giant king to the unctuous sneer of his brother Loki - the latter of which would frequently play a supporting role in Thor's tales as both the cause and solution of various disasters. 

His stage presence aside, there was something about Thor's adventures that kept Rocket at the edge of his seat. The stories of capricious gods and goddesses, of their world-ending treasures and the fearsome battles waged to obtain them had him hanging on the man's every word. Thor had visited lands that Rocket had only heard of in stories - lands that he had dismissed as the stuff of legends, just like he had with Nidavellir before the man had opened his eyes to the truth. He felt a tingle of excitement at the idea that now he was part of Thor's adventures, and that the man would do an estimation of _his_ voice as he told stories of how they created Stormbreaker and battled Thanos' forces together. 

On top of that, the man was incredibly funny, with some of his tales being so ridiculous that Rocket would have sworn that Thor was making them up as he went if the guy wasn't so damn earnest. One particular story had Rocket clutching his sides as his whole body shook with laughter. 

"... It was a remarkable sight! We had no idea which would be the first to be torn off: The goat's beard or my brother's privates!" Thor said, barely managing to keep from doubling over himself as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "But it worked! The giantess laughed, so our end of the bargain had been held. Of course, if you wanted to keep all of your limbs, you wouldn't tell that tale in earshot of Loki." 

"Holy shit!! Your brother sounds like one messed up dude!" Rocket howled, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. "Er… sorry. Didn't mean for it to come out like that." he added hastily, remembering that Thor mentioned his brother was one of the casualties of the war.

Thor waved off his friend's apology. "Not at all. I'm sure my brother would take anything less as a great insult to his memory." 

"From what you've told me, that sounds about right." Rocket glanced over at the window. The rain had started to let up a bit, though the sky had grown darker as the sun sank lower in the sky. "Geez, how long have we been talking for anyway?" 

"Odin's beard, we've been at it for several hours by the looks of it..." Thor said, looking slightly abashed. "My apologies for taking so long, it's just been ages since I've had a chance to regale such a willing audience with tales of my exploits."

"Hey, stop apologizing will ya?" Rocket said, still sniggering. "I was happy ta listen. Next time I'll share some of _my_ stories with ya. A lot of em havta do with stolen prosthetics, but I think I've got a couple that can give ya a run for yer money." 

"I'll hold you to that! I'm still eager to hear the tale of how you obtained this eye." 

"Uh, maybe not _that_ one. Not sure you'd still want it after ya find out how I got it..."

"Hah! I suppose we'll have to see won't we?" Thor said, winking his brown eye. He got up off the bed and stretched with a loud growl. "For now though I could do with a proper wash. What about you?" 

"Didn't really have time to grab a shower this morning. I woke up pretty late myself." Rocket said, sniffing under his arm and wrinkling his nose in response. "Eh, I'm a little musty but I can wait. You get in there first alright? I don't wanna hold ya up." 

Thor gave him a puzzled look that made Rocket wonder what exactly it was that he had said wrong. "What are you talking about? I told you that it's normal for Asgardians to take communal baths, don't you remember?" he said, giving Rocket a patient smile. "I had already bathed before you arrived yesterday, but I was hoping that perhaps you would join me today?" 

"W-wait _what_?" Rocket stammered, his heart suddenly catching in his throat. "Uh-uh. No way dude." Panic rose in his chest, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. He jumped down from the bed to make his way back to the living room. "I mean, I appreciate the invitation but…" 

Before he had a chance to continue, Thor was on his knee, face to face with Rocket, the man's hand on his shoulder. One look at his expression and he knew that the answer had already been made for him. 

"I know that it may seem like a bit of a strange custom to you, but it's really not a big deal, honestly! I could never convince any of my friends from the Avengers to join me. We didn't get to have that experience together and now, well, it's too late..." he said sadly. "But I've really been enjoying bonding with you over the time I've known you. You've been a great help in making me feel like my old self again as of late and well… I was hoping that as we're both men, I could share this experience with _you_ Rocket."

There was something about Thor calling him by name rather than an affectionate moniker like "friend" or "Rabbit" that made Rocket reluctantly meet the big man's gaze.

_"Ugh… those God. Damn. EYES!!"_

Rocket sighed, deflating like a tire with a nail shoved through it. He ran his fingers through the fur on his head in exasperation, looking up at Thor, embarrassed. The big man only smiled though, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze of encouragement that spread warmth through his entire body." 

"Heh, you really do always get your way, don't ya your majesty?" he shook his head with a rueful grin. 

"If that were true, I never would have left that little cabin you found me in." Thor replied softly "Sometimes it's good to have someone that can give you a little push."

Rocket threw his hands up in defeat. "Alright, point taken." He gave Thor's cheek a playful slap, the big man responding with a mock wince. "I trust ya big guy." 

"Excellent! You won't regret this, I promise!" Thor said as he clapped the raccoon on the back, his smile full of genuine warmth. 

_"Yeah? I hope you're right about that Blondie."_

And without another word, they were on their way over to the baths, Rocket's heart pounding just a little less anxiously than it had been moments before. 


	5. Rabbit in Hot Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks! Thanks for waiting - we're finally here to earn all these adult content warnings with the long awaited *sex chapter*. If for some reason you're not looking to read gratuitous smut between a chubby Nordic God and a surly anthropomorphic raccoon, then there's a clear break before all of the really gratuitous stuff goes down. 
> 
> Major thanks to the lovely @Beaugilliam for providing the amazing artwork of Thor and Rocket! Seriously, his stuff is awesome so check him out on Twitter.
> 
> In any case, without further ado...

As Thor led him over to the baths, Rocket came to the conclusion that he was being entirely ridiculous about this whole thing. After all, it was hardly his first time bathing with other guys. True, he had never done it recreationally before, since up until now it was only something that he'd experienced in prison. Perhaps that was why he was so anxious? Those were hardly what he'd call relaxing encounters after all…

Prison showers with other inmates were always uncomfortable, but it had nothing to do with being seen naked. Rocket honestly couldn't give two shits about any of that: He had never planned on staying long before busting out, so whoever wanted an eyeful was more than welcome to it as far as he was concerned. He still had to watch his back though, especially if he didn't have Groot there to act as his muscle. Being so exposed could be dangerous depending on how many enemies he had in the complex, and that was a list that was growing larger all the time. 

Not that he was at all worried about that with Thor of course. The big man merrily chatted away as they walked together, so infectiously chipper that Rocket wondered if it hurt to smile that wide. Just what the hell was it about this big goofball that made him feel more vulnerable than showering with a room full of dangerous criminals? The Asgardian _did_ have the nasty habit of making Rocket feel good about himself for a change, and frankly he found that harder to deal with than the thought that he might get shanked…

Thor pushed open the ornate oak doors to the bathing area, the two of them instantly enveloped in the familiar smell of the wood and eucalyptus scented haze. The sensory overload instantly transported Rocket back to the night he first arrived here, the memory of how the baths made the chill of the storm melt away making his shoulders relax considerably. The marble pools in the center were once again full to the brim, clouds of warm steam filling the room as hot water cascaded into them.

"Doesn't that get expensive?" Rocket asked. "Keeping the water running all the time like that?" 

Thor took in a deep slow breath, inhaling the steam with a comfortable sigh. "Oh not at all! You see, the smiths built these pools with enchanted _Unda_ runes that allow the water to flow continuously. That way they're always ready to be used at a moment's notice." 

"You can do all this but you're still lighting the place with candles?" 

"Well I didn't want them doing too much on my behalf, but I'm allowed at least one creature comfort aren't I?" He said with a smirk as he began to undress. 

"Heh, guess I can't blame ya there." Rocket said, hesitating a moment before taking his belt off and tugging his tail through the hole in the makeshift robe Thor had made for him. He pulled it off and tossed it onto the floor in a crumpled pile, quickly heading over to the showers without so much as another word. Thor had just started to take off his sweat pants and Rocket didn't want to try and hold a conversation with the man considering what part of his anatomy the raccoon's height put him eye-level with… 

He sat down on the farthest end of the long bench, turning the cold water on full blast. He winced as he dunked his head under it, hoping that the chill would help focus his attention on something else. 

_You're being a moron. Take it easy will ya?_

Rocket grabbed the shampoo, scrubbing himself off agitatedly as the cold water sent pins and needles throughout his entire body. He pushed on, making sure to completely douse his fur in it even as he began to shiver. His heart was racing again, his chest heavy with a frenzied sense of both panic and excitement, neither of which he wanted to acknowledge. 

_Seriously, why are you so goddamn worked up? It's just a bath..._

He gasped as he reached for the faucet, adjusting the temperature. He gave his cheeks a bracing slap, his breathing beginning to slow as the water warmed up. He thought that he would be able to handle this when he agreed to it, but he was having second thoughts. It's not as though he would be any closer to Thor than he had been when they were talking on his bed earlier. Hell, he had even seen the guy without a shirt on a few times before this. But there was something about this particular setting that felt unnervingly _intimate_.

_What, are you worried that he'll finally find out your dirty little secret? Better keep your legs crossed then…_

He almost jumped off the bench as Thor came around the corner. He quickly locked his gaze onto his own reflection in the mirror and tried his best to look focused on his bathing. Despite having two full rows of empty seats available, of course Thor chose to use the one right next to Rocket, the man's muscular thigh brushing up against his as he hunched over in the little shower cubby. 

_Oh come on, REALLY? Just what the hell are you trying to do to me man??_

The Asgardian seemed as though he didn't have a care in the world though, humming softly to himself as he removed the tie from his hair and began to undo the intricate braidwork from his beard. He seemed so relaxed that Rocket was certain that if he were to look up "nonchalant" in the dictionary he'd find a picture of Thor whistling a little ditty and naked as the day is long. Of course, it would be far too obvious that Rocket was trying to avoid the guy if he just got up and left now, so he made it a point to be extra thorough in cleaning his tail as the big man began to wash up. 

_Just play it cool dude. You've got this. No big deal. It's just Thor. You've watched this doofus fish around for chips he dropped in the folds of his bathrobe. This is just a couple of buds hanging out in a pool, just without any pants. No pressure. So seriously, calm the fuck-"_

"Rabbit?" 

"Yeah? What's u-hnngbbgrl!!!" 

Before Rocket could finish, Thor surprised him with a quick blast of warm water right to the face. 

"W-what the hell was that for jackass?" The raccoon yelped, sputtering and coughing from the impromptu waterboarding. "Geez, ya got it right up my friggin nose!" 

"Gahahaha! I'm sorry my friend!" Thor said with a booming laugh, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "I had to do something to break the tension. You looked as though you were about to lay an egg!" 

Rocket exhaled deeply, the sigh of somebody who had once again gotten caught up in his thoughts. "Yeah well… I guess this is just a little weird for me, alright?" he muttered sheepishly. He felt like such a Grade-A jackass admitting it, especially after he was all gung-ho about doing this just moments before. It was a bit like lining up for a roller coaster only to psych yourself out and leave at the last minute. 

Thor seemed unperturbed though, still grinning. "I know. I figured this might be a bit difficult for you. It's rare to have someone not of Asgard to partake in this with. That's precisely why I wanted to share this with you, Rocket." Thor replied. "But all the same, the last thing I want to do is cause you any sort of discomfort. It would be a great dishonor for me to betray your trust." He said sympathetically. "If you don't want to do this, then say the word. I'll leave you to use the baths on your own and we'll speak no more of this, alright?" 

Another hot wave of shame washed over Rocket. What exactly was it about Thor's earnestness that could either make him feel like solid gold or the world's biggest turd? All the guy wanted to do was share a part of his culture together and here he was making a big fuss because he was nursing a stupid little unrequited crush. 

"No no. Look, I'm just being a dumbass as usual. You've been nice enough to put up with me barging in on you like this when ya wanted to be left alone, so the least I can do is not be a big friggin' wuss when I tell you I'm gonna do something with ya." he sighed, knowing any chance of playing it cool through this was long gone. "I gotta tell ya, if it were anybody else that asked me to do this, you'd better believe I'd have told em to go take a hike."

Rocket squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself like somebody preparing to take a jump into a frigid ocean before he turned to face the naked Asgardian. "But I meant what I said earlier - I _do_ trust ya Blondie. There's not a hell of a lot of people I can say that about either. But if you can handle the smell of wet fur, then I'm ready to dive on in with ya. Deal?" he held out his hand to Thor, finally returning his smile. 

"Deal." Thor said, dwarfing the raccoon's hands with his own as he clasped it warmly between his thumb and forefinger. 

"Glad ta hear it." And while the man's guard was down, Rocket snatched up the shower head with his free hand and returned the blast of water to Thor's stupid, handsome mug. 

The man gave a surprised shout of laughter, pulling away from the raccoon to try and cover his face, but Rocket wasn't about to allow that. He jumped up onto the counter with a devilish grin, bypassing the Asgardian's feeble defense as he doused Thor's head from every angle he could, even spraying some in his ears. "And besides!" Rocket shouted over the noise, " _I_ wanna be the one who was able to do this with ya when all those other big shots on your team were too chicken-shit! Capiche?" 

"Gahahah! Alright! I yield! _I yield!"_ Thor cried out, helpless against the raccoon's assault. "I think I'm rinsed off enough there, thank you very much!" he said, finally managing to cover the shower head. "See? You're already getting the hang of things. When you get so much male energy in one place, a bit of roughhousing is bound to happen." 

"Yeah yeah whatever you say Blondie." Rocket chuckled, sitting back down on the bench. "Anyway don't worry about me. I'll be fine alright?" he nodded over in the direction of the pools. "I'm gonna need a bit though - still got a lot of fur to shampoo here. If you wanna start heading over to the tubs that's fine, I'll join ya in a sec."

Thor gave Rocket a pat on the back. "Of course. Join me whenever you're ready." He grabbed a small towel from the nearby stack and slung it over his shoulder as he sauntered over to the baths. Rocket went back to washing up, but against his better judgment, he allowed himself a quick peek at the Asgardian as he walked off. 

_Damn. He wasn't kidding yesterday huh? It really isn't a bad ass…_

Maybe another cold shower wouldn't be such a bad idea… 

After a few more quick rounds of mental gymnastics, (as well as attempting to think of the most unsexy things he possibly could in order to cool off - the face of The Sovereign Queen proved to be the most effective at that…) Rocket had finally steeled himself enough to make his way over to the tubs. He found Thor sitting in the little square pool, shoulder deep in the water with his eyes closed and the small towel resting against his forehead. Rocket thought he looked a bit like a large bear who had fallen asleep waiting for salmon. He didn't open his eyes even when Rocket had plunked himself down into the opposite end of the bath.

"Glad you decided to come." he said in a low, relaxed growl.

"I said I was going to, didn't I?" Rocket said, pressing his back up against the warm marble with a sigh of satisfaction. If he wasn't careful he would be in danger of getting lulled to sleep like he had the other day. "So then… here I am." He said with a shrug. "Whaddya normally do when you have a friend in here with ya Blondie?"

"Mm?" Thor muttered, the question breaking him out of his reverie. "Well it depends on who you're bathing with and when, of course. The experience is different each time. Taking a bath with your comrades-in-arms could be a rowdy experience with a great deal of boasting and cavorting. Or if a battle was won at great cost, it can be a time of reflection to ease wounds and remember the ones that fell." Thor smiled, as though he were recalling an old memory, but whether it was happy or sad Rocket couldn't tell. 

"That's why I enjoy the baths so much. Not just because they're relaxing, but they have a way of… I don't know, bonding you with those that you would trust with your life." Thor pushed himself up, removing the wash towel from his head and depositing it on the side of the tub. "Personally I enjoy having a bit of conversation though. I've never been one to enjoy sitting in silence, you know." 

"Eh? What?" Rocket replied, straining to listen to Thor over the roar of the rushing water. "Having a little trouble hearing ya. You're gonna hafta speak up a bit dude."

"I said I prefer not to sit in silence!" Thor yelled. "Honestly, Rabbit you don't need to sit quite so far away from me. I promise you I don't bite!" he laughed, gesturing to the space right next to him in the tub.

Rocket cocked his brow at that: If he didn't know any better he would have thought the big guy was coming on to him. He wasn't about to let Thor get one over on him though. "Naw, I don't wanna move. I'm pretty comfortable where I'm at." he said, leaning further back and giving an exaggerated yawn. "How's about you come over here your majesty? I can't promise _I_ won't bite though." He said flashing the Asgardian an impish grin.

Thor shook his head with a chuckle before swimming to the opposite end of the pool right next to Rocket. He laid back, draping his muscular arms on the edge of the tub, his fingers only inches away from Rocket's shoulders. 

"Always such a stubborn brute aren't you?" he said smugly, smiling down at the raccoon. 

_Shit… he called my bluff…_

"Yeah, well it takes one ta know one huh?" he said, thankful that he was almost completely submerged in the water. He had never been quite this close to Thor before aside from when he hugged him earlier, and the man hadn't been naked then. There was only so much that thinking about Queen Ayesha's gross angular face could help at this point… 

"Well then, shall we pick up where we left off earlier?" Thor suggested. "You still owe me one of _your_ tales. I believe you were just about to tell me the story of how you obtained this eye?" he said eagerly. 

"Hey pal, I never said I was gonna tell you _that_ one! I still don't think you're ready for it. I'll tell ya when you're a little older, okay?" the raccoon sniggered, grateful for the distraction. "Aw c'mon don't pout!" he said, looking at the crestfallen expression on Thor's face. "I can't go giving away my best story just like that. Gotta leave _some_ of the mystery alive!" 

"Alright alright fair enough…" Thor grumbled. "You had better tell me that one someday though!" 

"Hey, I gotta keep ya coming back for somethin' don't I?" Rocket snorted. "Okay okay, how about this one? It's not the eyeball story but it's still pretty damn good…" 

With that, Rocket began to tell Thor about how he orchestrated the escape from the Kyln back when he first met the other Guardians. It was a pretty good choice in his opinion because there had been so many close calls and exciting twists and turns - and it had the added benefit of making him look like a badass, which was always a plus in his book. Of course he may have embellished certain details to make himself look a _tiny_ bit better, but what good storyteller doesn't? 

Thor was at rapt attention the whole time, prodding Rocket for more questions which the raccoon was only too eager to answer. He ended the story with the reveal about the prosthetic leg, causing the big man to bellow with laughter. 

"Wait wait! So he really thought you needed it for your plan? You really are a rogue aren't you?" he said, his massive shoulders shaking with mirth. "That poor man!" 

"Hey, if he was in The Kyln he definitely had it comin'! They don't lock you up in a maximum security prison like that cuz ya stole a loaf of friggin bread." Rocket said, glad that Thor found the whole thing as funny as he did. 

"What did you end up doing with his leg anyway?"

"Eh, I used it to knock down stuff that was too high up for me to reach, but Gamora made me chuck it when Groot kept trying to put it in his mouth. What a waste of a perfectly good leg..." 

"Hah! And was that the first in your little assortment of parts then?" Thor asked with a wry smile. "I'm curious to see just how many you've managed to collect over the years." 

"Wouldn't you like ta know!" Rocket grinned. "But I'll tell ya, I still haven't given up on nabbing that Bucky guy's arm one of these days." 

"Gahahaha! I don't doubt it! I wish him a great deal of luck keeping all of his limbs intact." Thor said, shaking his head. "So, how are you enjoying yourself my friend? Do you feel a bit more at ease?" 

"Ya know? I honestly can't say I hate this." Rocket sank back into the tub, putting his arms behind his head, the picture of contentment. "It's actually pretty nice ya know? I'm glad I Iet ya talk me into this." 

"I told you it wasn't a big deal." Thor guffawed. "I don't understand why other men have so many damn hang-ups about it."

"Well, I mean it is pretty cool getting to relax with another dude like this and just hang out like guys." Rocket admitted. "If that's how things worked on Asgard then I could definitely see myself getting used to this." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath of steam. "But I guess at first it sounds a little bit… you know…" he trailed off. 

"Hmm? A bit what?"

_God damn it you're really gonna make me say it?_

"It sounds… I dunno. Kinda gay?" 

Thor gave a snort of laughter. "Of course it is! Getting to spend time with your comrades like this _should_ be a joyous occasion!" 

Rocket slapped his forehead in exasperation. "No, not like that…" he huffed. "I mean like… asking a guy to get naked in a tub with ya comes across a little… Sexual?" 

Thor's brow furrowed, the confusion evident on the big man's face. "Ah. Well it's not intended to be, but that does happen on occasion, yes." 

Rocket's eyes snapped open in an instant. "Wait wait wait, hold the friggin boat!" he squawked "So this _is_ some kinda sex thing??"

"Not inherently!" Thor said, looking unsure of what exactly it was that he said wrong. "Communal bathing really is just a normal part of life on Asgard, but that doesn't mean sexual things _don't_ occur every now and then! With so many men in one place it's perfectly natural that it might. Is… that really so surprising?" 

"Kinda, yeah!" Rocket said with a nervous little titter. "So what are you sayin'? Guys would just start doing sex stuff out in the open without a care in the world and everybody is just like, cool with that??" 

"Pfft. What? Of course not, don't be ridiculous." Thor guffawed. "There may be a great deal of fraternizing, perhaps with the occasional wrestling match breaking out if both the amount of drink and egos are high enough. But nobody is quite brazen enough to do anything sexual publicly! You could just go to a brothel for that." Thor said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That being said, some men do have a bit of trouble waiting if they want to do more than bathe, but they'll go off to a more private area for that. So I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the baths _could_ be sexual, but it depends on your own intent."

"Ahh… gotcha…" Rocket muttered, suddenly feeling a warm heat in his chest. He supposed he should have known better: He was well aware of the sort of things that would go on in prison showers and bathroom stalls, but he always thought that was the sort of sketchy stuff that happened there because there were no other options available - mostly from firsthand experience. "You uh… ever walk in on anybody who was doing a little more than 'fraternizing'?" Rocket said doing air quotes with his fingers for the last word. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to know that information actually.

"My friend, _I've_ been discovered in compromising positions more times than I care to admit." Thor laughed. "Of course, that can sometimes be fun too… " he added with a shameless wink.

_Fuck... No friggin way…_

"Seriously dude?" Rocket said, trying to quickly adjust himself under the water. He _really_ hoped that Thor wasn't paying attention to the placement of his hands at the moment. He quickly shifted his tail to cover between his legs. "I… didn't think you liked guys like that."

That was especially true after seeing his ex, but he really didn't feel like bringing Jane up right this second.

"I'm fifteen hundred years old! Did you think I was still a blushing young virgin? I've done all manner of things in my bedchambers and… er… elsewhere."

"Yeah, I mean I get that! Ugh how the hell do I explain this… I guess I just figured you were only into girls ya know?" Rocket muttered, wishing more and more that he could sink to the bottom of the pool like a stone. "Look, I've been all over the galaxy and every planet is different when it comes to guys who like other guys. In some places it's no big deal and in others they get their friggin panties in a bunch about it. From what I've heard, Earth is somewhere in the middle." he said, thinking about that incident where Quill had a panic attack because a guy from the Nova Corps had asked him out for a drink back when they were on Xandar. "It's just a hell of a lot easier to assume most guys just like chicks and leave it at that." 

Thor looked utterly perplexed at that last statement, as though Rocket were trying to explain why the sky is blue to somebody who lived in a place where it was orange." Well I can't speak for other planets, but on Asgard same sex relationships were rather common. I know that love between Valkyrie warriors was seen not only as normal, but was in fact encouraged since lovers will fight all the more fiercely alongside each other on the fields of battle. The bonds of brotherhood were known to bloom into those of love in the all-male units as well. Hel, there were statues erected in honor of Einherjar couples whose exploits were known to every man, woman, and child across Asgard!" Thor exclaimed proudly. 

"Perhaps it comes from being a more advanced civilization, but love is celebrated among Asgardians, no matter the form it takes. As for myself, well… I've lain with my fair share of both men and women over the past few centuries. Both experiences are as utterly different as they are enjoyable."

"Oh really?" Rocket said incredulously. "You wouldn't have gotten shit if you decided to marry a dude? Wouldn't that have ended your oh-so-special royal bloodline or whatever?" 

"Hah! Asgardian lineage doesn't work like that, Rabbit!" he said, affectionately ruffling the fur on Rocket's head. "To take in another as your own is a bond as strong as blood, and just as indisputable. Just take a look at my brother: He was adopted - and from our sworn enemies the Frost Giants no less - and his claim to the throne was no less valid than mine had been. At least before he became an intergalactic war criminal anyway…" he chuckled. "So to answer your question, I would have been more than capable of marrying another male and still continue the line of Odinson through adoption." he said in a very matter of factly sort of way. 

"Not that my parents didn't have their own thoughts on who I should wed mind you! While my mother only cared that I followed my heart, my father was… let's say a bit more critical of my choices, the stubborn old ox." he said with a combination of resentment and fondness. "When I brought Jane to Asgard he was livid. He viewed Earthlings as frail and transient creatures, and he detested the thought of me choosing a 'swooning, powerless human maiden' with no mettle in battle as my partner. He made it _quite_ clear that he wanted me to choose a fearsome warrior to keep the throne of Asgard strong. He couldn't have cared less about the body they came in." 

There was something about hearing that Thor's father didn't approve of his ex that gave Rocket an unexpected shot of confidence. "Oh really now?" he sniggered. "I mean, _I've_ kicked my fair share of ass in my day. Saved the galaxy a couple times - all pretty impressive stuff if I say so myself. You tellin' me that if you brought me home to meet mom and pop and told em 'Hey, take a look at your furry new son-in-law' they'd prefer me over a broad like that?" He said nudging Thor's side with his elbow. Since he was playing it off like it was all a joke, he was glad he had said it: They would both have a big laugh about it and he could finally put his stupid fantasy to rest. 

Thor however didn't laugh. He looked down at Rocket with another one of his unnervingly appraising stares as though he were sizing the raccoon up by some mysterious metric only he could see. He had a curious look on his face, only responding with a soft "Hmm". 

"Err…What? Somethin' on my face?" Rocket said, his ears flattening against his head nervously. Shit, did he manage to piss Thor off with that? Before he could find a way of brushing the whole thing off, Thor finally broke his silence. 

"Honestly, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that had been the case. I think they'd have seen you as quite the catch."

"What?!" Rocket yelped, almost jumping out of his skin at the unexpected response. "Okay, now I _know_ you're fucking with me man!" he said with an awkward laugh, waiting for the inevitable 'gotcha' from the Asgardian. "There is no way in hell that's true!" 

Thor just looked down at his friend with a bemused sort of smile. "Hmm? Now why do you say that?" 

"Why???" Rocket snapped, his voice echoing around the room as he shrunk away from Thor into the corner of the tub. "I mean… C'mon! Just LOOK at me! I'm a friggin' animal!" he gestured to himself as though this was something that had somehow managed to escape the man's notice. 

"You forget that Asgardians have coexisted with the different people of the Nine Realms for millenia on end." he said, looking slightly alarmed at Rocket's explosive reaction. "It's not uncommon for the blood of Asgard to mingle with that of another race even if their anatomy is wildly different from our own. I mean, I told you about my old friend Tyr right? His mother was Asgardian and his father was a giant! Admittedly I have no idea quite how any of that _worked_ mind you… "

"So what then?" Rocket said, eyeing Thor with suspicion. "You sayin' that Asgardians are all a bunch of crazy freaks in the sack or whatever?" 

"That's… quite a bit more than what I said actually." he said, running his hands through his hair with the frustration of somebody who had failed to explain themselves properly and now had their foot firmly lodged in their mouth. "Look, you've traveled around the galaxy right? Is it really that unheard of for two different intelligent species to fall in love with another? Odin's beard, you told me yourself about your human friend Quill and the Zehoberei woman Gamora!" 

"T-that's different." Rocket stammered, struggling to regain some semblance of control over the situation that had gotten so much father out of hand than he could have predicted. 

"I see no difference. Though your form may be different from mine, you're a man all the same - and one hell of a warrior if I've ever seen one." Thor said firmly. "You're an expert marksman, a brilliant tactician, and one of the most skilled mechanics I've ever seen outside of a Dwarven forge. I could see my parents viewing our pairing as a great opportunity for you to strengthen Asgard with your great knowledge and skill, teaching warriors and craftsmen alike." 

The big man walked over to Rocket in the corner of the tub, leaning over to meet the raccoon's panicked gaze, his own warm and disarming. "... And if you don't mind me saying, you are rather cuddly, which is certainly a bonus." he said with a shy grin.

Rocket sat there, utterly stunned like a deer in headlights. He wanted to snap back that he was about as cuddly as a cactus. That Thor was crazy to think so highly of him. That _anyone_ could see that he was just some little freak and the thought of being with him should make them sick. But he knew the man would tear down those feeble excuses just as he had with all the walls and barriers he had so painstakingly built over the years before this. 

So why the hell was he still fighting it then? 

"... You know, you keep talking like that and it's likely ta go to my head." he said, without his usual edge of sarcasm. His dark eyes met Thor's, the man's face only a few inches away from his own. There was an unusual trepidation in Rocket's gaze, the guy who was so used to coming up with a plan completely unsure of what his next move should be.

"I believe it already has…" Thor replied quietly, glancing down for a brief moment at the spot between Rocket's legs that he had been trying to conceal this whole time, giving him another cheeky wink. His smile was confident, but not brazen. It wasn't the smile of a lecherous hunter who had cornered his prey, but of an adventurer eager for a new escapade with his comrade. And now the ball had been firmly placed in Rocket's court. 

_Well… looks like the cat's finally out of the bag huh?_

He looked at the man before him - the one that he had allowed himself the delusion of thinking about on his loneliest nights back on the Benatar. The face that he had dreamt about was not the one in front of him now: The hair and beard had been cropped short and neat back then, his cheeks and stomach less full. And yet, he found himself vastly preferring what he was seeing in front of him now. He had gotten to see the man beneath the shining armor of the God who had made him feel like he was worthy of greatness from the moment they first met. Despite how much he had changed, he was still Thor. 

And he was beautiful.

_'If something is good, you take it' right?_

Without another word, despite every bit of common sense he had telling him that this was a bad idea, Rocket threw caution to the wind and leaned forward to kiss the man. 

He had expected the Asgardian to jerk his head back - to recoil in disgust and leave them with nothing but an awkward moment, everything they had built up over the past few days utterly ruined by one second of presumption on the raccoon's part. He had been ready to make plans to find another place to stay as quickly as possible and hope that in a few years he'd be able to forgive himself for being such a gullible dumbass. 

What he _hadn't_ expected was for Thor's lips to part against his own the way that they did, or to feel the warmth of his hand against the small of his back as he pulled him in closer. And he especially hadn't expected him to let out a low, rumbling purr of satisfaction the way that he did as Rocket's tongue slipped inside his mouth. And with that, the light inside him that had been stuck on red for so long had finally switched to green, all systems ready and raring to go. They finally pulled apart, both breathless and looking at each other with goofy, satisfied grins. 

"Well, I must say… " Thor mused quietly as he gently ran Rocket's fur through his fingers. "It certainly took you long enough."

"Aw c'mon I wasn't _that_ obvious… was I?" Rocket groaned, his shoulders drooping in defeat. 

"Mm… Well I _did_ have my suspicions for a while but I wasn't entirely sure. It wasn't until I overheard your conversation last night that I was able to confirm them." he said, looking slightly abashed. "I… apologize for not telling you sooner. I wanted to wait until you were ready." 

"Ah geez… I knew I was being too friggin loud… " Rocket muttered, shaking his head as he stared down into the water. It was hard enough to accept that his big secret had been revealed, but knowing that he may as well have been blaring it out on a megaphone did add a touch more salt to his wounded pride. 

"Huh?" Thor blinked at Rocket in surprise. "No no, you were making such a ruckus that it was difficult to understand what you were saying over the storm. Your friend Groot however I could hear quite clearly." 

"Wait, what the hell?" Rocket's head snapped over to look at Thor so fast he almost sprained his neck. "Whaddya mean? How the hell did you…? Oh." Realization slammed Rocket over the head harder than the debris from the collapsing Avengers Facility. "I forgot. You said they taught Groot as an elective on Asgard or whatever…" 

Thor smiled a bit like a cat who had swallowed the canary. "That's right. I suppose it's lucky I was an immature young 600 year old when I took it and made it a point to learn as many raunchy words as I could or I might not have understood him. You really ought to have a talk with him about his language you know, he has a mouth like a sailor…" 

"Yeah well… he'll be lucky if I don't shoot him out the airlock into space when I get back…" he grumbled, arms crossed against his chest. 

"Oho, come now Rabbit." Thor chuckled as he wrapped a muscular arm around Rocket's shoulders. "Surely the outcome is worth a bit of leniency just this once…" 

"Heh, we'll havta see. I'm not finished with ya just yet." Rocket growled as he placed a hand behind Thor's head, gently pulling him in for another kiss. Back when he was alone with his thoughts on the ship, he wondered if it would be awkward kissing Thor given how differently shaped their faces were. But it hadn't been the first time, nor was it this time - it felt absolutely and completely right having Thor's lips pressed against his own, the kiss soft and experimental but at the same time filled with need. He allowed himself to emit a low moan, the big man responding with his own in kind. 

After a few moments, Thor pulled back with an almost boyish giggle, his face ruddy and flushed. 

"Hehehe, your whiskers tickle Rabbit!" he said, pulling Rocket up against his chest. The raccoon closed his eyes and rested his head in the nook between the Asgardian's thick pectorals as though the act of letting go and finally kissing the man had left him completely drained.

"Oh yeah? Well so do yours pal. Not that I mind it..." Rocket smirked, thoroughly enjoying the warmth of the man's body pressed up against his. He was really starting to find that "Thor smell" to be very comforting. He had resisted it before when the man had hugged him, but now he drank in its intoxicating scent like a man starved. It was powerful and manly, an enveloping blanket of pure testosterone combined with the smell that filled the air just after a heavy rainfall. Rocket couldn't get enough of it. 

"Do you perhaps…" Thor said, snapping the raccoon out of his sensory trance. "... want to move this to my bedchambers?" he asked tentatively as he gently ran his hands up and down Rocket's back. "I would like to, but I know this is moving rather fast. If you need me to slow down just say the word and…"

"Yes." Rocket replied. "Er… That is, to the part about heading off to your bedroom." he added hastily, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was so damn eager for it. "I've wasted enough goddamn time dragging my feet. Now that I've finally got em wet though I might as well dive right into the deep end eh?" he shrugged. "Besides, you never know if a fleet of angry Sakaarians will show up and blow the place to kingdom come, so I'd be pretty pissed at myself if we got this far and didn't get ta do nothin'." he said, grinning up at Thor. 

"Well said!" The Asgardian beamed down at the raccoon before lifting him up and depositing him on the side of the bathtub. He climbed out and sat next to him, grabbing a fluffy white towel from the pile next to him and tossing one over to Rocket before he started to vigorously dry his unruly blonde hair with another. 

Rocket followed suit, eager to get dry too. As much as he enjoyed the baths, he wasn't kidding when he said he didn't particularly like the smell of wet fur. Of course, now that he was out of the water, the throbbing erection he had been trying to cover up was on full display, the swollen bright pink flesh contrasting against his dark fur. "Heh… hope I wasn't jabbing ya in the chest with this thing the whole time…" he said, feeling his cheeks grow hot under his fur. 

"Well, perhaps a bit." Thor chuckled as he toweled off his enormous thighs. "It's to be expected, nothing to be shy about!" he said, giving Rocket a gentle pat on the back. "And besides… you're hardly alone." he said as he lifted his towel and moved his arm so he could give his comrade a proper look. The man was hard as rock too, eight and a half inches of uncut Asgardian cock swinging between his legs. 

"Holy shit, talk about a hammer… " Rocket's eyes practically bugged out of his head seeing what Thor had been packing. The Asgardian's manhood was beercan thick, the veiny shaft covered by a thicket of course honey blonde hair at the base and underhung with a magnificent pair of low hangers. Rocket was almost hypnotized by it, his eyes following it as it pulsed up and down between his thighs, a bead of silvery precum hanging from the tip and oozing down onto his calf. "I uh… didn't think I'd have that effect on ya big guy." 

"I suppose you thought wrong then." Thor said, drying off his member with calculated slowness, enjoying the look on Rocket's face as he gave him a proper show. He pushed his engorged tool down before letting it spring back up, spattering his gut with gossamer strands. "You were right about one thing yesterday though… I _haven't_ seen one quite like this before." he said as he reached over to firmly grip the raccoon's cock by the shaft and stroked it with a firm, calloused hand, causing Rocket legs to spasm involuntarily. 

"G-guess I'm just lucky…" he gasped, bracing himself against the side of the tub. For a long time, Rocket had considered himself a freak for all the genetic experiments that had been done on him, but there was one part of his anatomy he was particularly proud of. His proportions had been altered to make him more muscular and humanlike, and perhaps he had been intended to be a breeding specimen, but either way Rocket was at least grateful that he was generously endowed as a result. 

At just over 6 inches, he wasn't much competition for Thor in length or girth, but he was no slouch in either department for someone of his size. The shaft was thicker towards the head and more narrow towards the base, jutting out like a torpedo from the fur covered sheath it was usually housed in. His balls were as plump and round as they were fuzzy, making his loads famously large with past partners - infrequent as they had been over the years. 

"Ngh… You keep this up and we ain't gonna make it to the bedroom there Blondie…" Rocket muttered, his heart hammering in his chest. 

At that, Thor immediately withdrew his hand. "Right right, couldn't help myself!" The Asgardian said with a salacious grin as he went back to drying himself off. "Though I should hope you have a bit more endurance than that." 

"Oh I got endurance buddy, don't you worry your pretty little head about that!" he said, trying to ignore just how close he had gotten just from Thor's touch as he wrung out his tail and attempted to get it to its usual level of fluffiness. "But uh… since we're still here dya mind if I ask ya something?" 

"I've just had my hand around your cock. I would think you would know nothing is off limits by now." Thor laughed. 

"Yeah yeah, it's called being polite, ever heard of it?" Rocket snorted. "Anyway I was gonna ask, you said earlier that the baths could be for whatever you wanted to get out of em. So be honest with me man, did you… set this up hoping something _would_ happen?" he asked, unsure why it even mattered at this point. 

"Well, had you not wanted to go further I wasn't about to force myself on you..." Thor said, coloring guiltily. "I was being truthful with you earlier when I said they weren't usually sexual. I truly did want to share Asgardian customs with you, though I suppose I can't pretend that my intentions were entirely chaste, knowing how you felt…" Thor cleared his throat loudly, tossing his damp towel aside. "So, erm… the bedroom then?" 

"Heh, caught red-handed eh?" Rocket smirked. It was almost unreal to think that the big man had wanted this as much as he did. He couldn't just let Thor off the hook though - he was incredibly cute when he was embarrassed after all. "So uh… Which one of the Avengers were you trying ta get with when you invited em in here with ya eh?" he said as though he were asking about the weather. 

"W-what?" Thor stammered. "None of them! They were like my brothers. I don't only bring men here with ulterior motives you know!" 

"Coulda fooled me!" Rocket teased. After the emotional rollercoaster he had been through the past few days, he was enjoying twisting the knife a bit more than he cared to admit. "C'mon, you sayin’ that you weren't eyeing any of those good looking guys? You can tell me. I ain't the jealous type."

"I mean it you little rapscallion! I truly had no intention of doing anything more than bathing with my comrades." Thor huffed, making his way to the door as Rocket followed alongside him, both men still erect as the day was long. "I mean _sure,_ Banner was an impressive specimen naked…" 

"Hah! Get outta town. You and Banner? Seriously?" 

"Well nothing ever came of it! I only caught a glimpse when we were back in the Grandmaster's palace, but a man can't help but be just a bit curious after seeing something quite so… girthy." 

"Hey, don't get me wrong, I like em big too man, but I don't got a friggin death wish… " 

"Oh, you _do_ eh?" 

"Eh, Shaddup…" 

* * *

_This… can't really be happening… There's no friggin way…_

As hard as it was for him to believe, he really was in Thor's bed - a crackling fire in the hearth, the gentle patter of rain on the window, and the most handsome bear of a man Rocket had ever seen staring at him with expectant puppy-dog eyes. All of his bravado was gone, replaced by a lump in his throat that he couldn't seem to swallow. His chest felt tight, every breath surging with anticipation. 

This sure as hell wasn't his first time with another guy, but those had just been excuses to get his rocks off, usually taking place in a grubby bathroom stall or out behind a bar somewhere. They were quick, dirty, and meaningless. Most of the time he had been too drunk to remember any of it (even what species the guy had been) as he made a staggering walk of shame back to his ship. Back when he was an adult, Groot would usually be ready with no questions asked and a pitcher of lukewarm coffee on those nights. 

But here he was with Thor, his long forbidden fantasy that he never in a million years would have thought he would have been invited to share a bed with - and definitely not with either of them sober. But this god of a man he had felt a genuine attraction to had invited him here, had deemed _him_ as worthy of his affections, and the thought was as terrifying as it was exciting. His stomach had so many butterflies it honestly felt like he just might puke. 

"You're stuck inside your head again Rabbit." Thor said gently. His arm was wrapped around him, the two of them nose-to-nose as they lay beside each other in the enormous bed. 

"That obvious huh?" Rocket replied, shaking his head. "Sorry, it's just… I guess I never thought you'd be interested in me like this ya know? It's kind of a lot to take in…" 

Thor raised his scarred eyebrow, the corners of his lips curling into a smarmy grin. "But… you haven't even started yet. It might be a bit of a tight fit, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle…" his hands trailed downward, giving Rocket's ass a firm squeeze. He looked as though he was going to burst out giggling uncontrollably at his clever little line there. 

"Whatta prince eh? Get the hell over here ya big friggin doofus!" Rocket laughed, relieved that the tension had been broken before pulling himself close to Thor to kiss him again. When they had kissed earlier in the baths it had been gentle and uncertain though still passionate. Here it was wild and hungry, both men eager to explore the other as they growled and moaned into each other's mouths, greedy for another taste. Thor broke away for a moment, Rocket giving a soft 'oh!' of surprise as he pressed his lips under the raccoon's neck, gently kissing and nipping at it. He was practically snarling, impatient to show his companion just how experienced he was at pleasing another man, regardless of his shape.

Rocket wasn't about to let Thor take full control though. He gripped a fistful of his beard, tugging him back up to his mouth, his free hand combing through the man's unruly mane of hair. He could feel Thor's weight on top of him, knowing full well that the muscular brute could crush him easily beneath him. There was something about this fact that made the whole thing feel all the more dangerous and exciting. But even as they blindly groped at each other in a haze of lust, there was a degree of practiced control on Thor's part. His grip was firm but not so rough that he might hurt Rocket while their tongues wrestled for supremacy - and his companion was putting up one hell of a fight on that front.

"H-hey, roll over will ya?" Rocket gasped, his fur thoroughly mussed though he couldn't have cared less at this point. "I've been waitin' for this for a long time. I wanna get a proper look at ya…" 

Thor did as he was asked, pulling the raccoon on top of him before resting his arms behind his head. "I'm at your command, Captain…" he purred, his voice husky with anticipation. Rocket's hands quickly zeroed in on the man's barrel chest, squeezing and massaging his pecs. 

"Damn, dude… Your heart is racing like crazy…" Rocket said, enjoying the way the Asgardian's muscles flexed in response to his touch. He gripped the man's nipples firmly, pleased to see he earned a sharp gasp of approval from Thor. 

"O-of course it is… You're not… Ngh… the only one who's been eager for this…" he said with bated breath. It had been ages since another man had touched him so forcefully like this. He had forgotten just how much he liked being manhandled.

"Oh yeah?" Rocket said, feeling the warm rush of mutual affection rise inside of him. "I better make sure I treat ya real nice then…" he mused before diving onto the man's chest, licking and suckling on one teat while he tweaked the other between his fingers, operating Thor like the console of a ship. The Asgardian thrashed, tossing his head back as he did his best to resist crying out, even as a faint whimper escaped his lips. A spurt of precum shot from Thor's manhood, glazing his thigh. 

_Looks like his tits are hardwired to his dick… good ta know…_

The raccoon nursed on them gently, enjoying every twitch and growl the man made as he squeezed the thick nubs harder, tugging at them firmly. Rocket gently gnawed the tip of Thor's nipple between his teeth, causing him to inhale sharply in surprise. 

"Was that too hard Blondie?" Rocket asked, worried that he had gotten a bit too excited making Thor shudder and moan like that. 

"N-no, not at all" The Asgardian panted. "You can… Be a bit rougher… If you like." There was a curious need in his eyes - one that Rocket couldn't tell if Thor fully understood himself. But whatever it was, he knew that the big guy was relying on him to take care of it, and another surge of affection pulsed in the raccoon's chest. 

_God damn… He's so friggin cute…_

"Heh, you got it tough guy." Rocket purred before attacking the man's chest with renewed fervor, pinching and kneading at them roughly. His tongue lapped at the pert tips with gusto, biting down just hard enough to make Thor let out a sharp cry of pleasure. He clamped his hand over his mouth, moaning into his fingers. Thor was like a lion desperate not to be reduced to a mewling kitten, but his traitorous manhood still throbbed, revealing his not-so-secret pleasure. Rocket eased up, not wanting to overload the man just yet. He pushed himself up to claim another kiss from Thor, which he was only too eager to give. The raccoon stroked his beard, thoroughly enjoying how soft it was. 

"Hey. I don't want ya ta hold nothin’ back. If you like what I'm doin' then I better hear it, okay?" He said, giving the man a nuzzle that was almost a headbutt. "I like it, ya know? Knowing I'm making ya feel good…" 

Thor's cheeks reddened furiously, but he didn't protest. "Alright... I don't normally show this side of myself to those I share a bed with you know…" he muttered, gently stroking the silky fur on Rocket's ears. "But… I trust you too, Sweet Rabbit." 

"I know you do, ya big Pirate Angel." 

"Gahaha! You called me that back when we first met!" Thor laughed. "What in the name of the Sons of Ivaldi does _that_ mean?" 

"It means I think you're sexy ya big dope." Rocket chuckled. "I dunno, it was something Drax said, that explains why it's so stupid, but I think it fits ya. Besides, it's no dumber than you calling me 'Rabbit' all the time."

"I can… stop if you want..." Thor said, still looking confused. 

"Don't you friggin dare. I like it." Rocket growled, nudging Thor's cheek with his fist playfully. "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get back ta work." he said with a suggestive smirk. "There's a big hard Asgardian cock that looks like it's in need of the 'Royal Treatment' if ya know what I mean..." 

Before Thor could reply, Rocket scooted himself backwards onto Thor's muscular gut, turning so that he was face to face with 8 and a half inches of pulsing Nordic manhood. 

"Yeah… I'd definitely havta put this here in the top five biggest I've had before…but just barely." he teased as though he were examining a new part for the ship, leaning forward to get a proper whiff of Thor's musk. The big man flinched as the cold tip of Rocket's nose made contact with the thick mushroom head, a strand of precum clinging to it as he pulled back. He let Thor’s sweet nectar fall into his open mouth before diving back to the source, lapping a dollop of it off with a flick of his tongue. 

"Eh, who the hell am I kidding… I've been wanting this for years…" 

His own member was currently leaking a sticky puddle onto the man’s stomach. He looked back at Thor, the big brute holding his breath in anticipation. He gave Rocket the smallest of nods, and that was all the go-ahead he needed. He grabbed Thor's cock firmly and began lapping at it like a man starved, bathing the ruby head with his tongue. He opened his mouth wide, cheeks bulging as he stuffed as much of the Asgardian's manhood down his throat as he possibly could. 

"Ahhhh… F-fuck Rocket…" Thor gasped, as he felt the head of his cock hit the back of the raccoon's throat, the entire length of it disappearing into his mouth. His tongue snaked along the shaft of it as he worked his way back up, taking a quick gasp of air. 

"Wow. Don't think I've ever heard you swear like that before big guy." he said, his chest heaving. He may have made it look effortless, but Thor's length was still girthy enough to give him a challenge. "You're always spouting off in your 'ye-olden times' talk. It's kinda nice to hear ya let loose like that…" he purred, taking a deep breath and making his way down the curve of Thor's cock until his nose was tickled by the thick forest of blonde hair that surrounded the base. 

He had reached over to stroke his own while he worked on the massive tool in front of him, but Thor swatted his hand away. He gripped the raccoon's swollen manhood in his warm fist and pumped it torturously slow, his hand getting drenched with the fountain of sticky precum pouring out from it. He brought his fingers to his lips, growling in satisfaction like a bear who had gotten his first taste of honey as he licked it off. He went back for more, savoring the taste as it leaked onto his beard, making it a syrupy mess. 

Rocket was in hog heaven, his Adam's apple bobbing as he let out a series of low muffled grunts and moans around the fat member currently filling his mouth. He let out a warm burst of air from his nostrils, trying his best to focus on his breathing while he worked on taming the throbbing beast with his hungry gullet - something that he was finding rather difficult with Thor stroking his cock like that. He bucked his hips instinctively, eager to feel the friction of Thor's slick palm against his sensitive flesh.

Thor meanwhile ran his free hand through the fur on Rocket's back. He raked his fingers through it as he explored the surprisingly hard muscle underneath, though he was careful to avoid the metal nodes embedded there. With every touch, electricity coursed through the raccoon's body: He wasn't sure if the big man was using his powers on him or if he was just that skilled in bed, but either way Rocket wasn't about to complain. He pulled up from his current task with a gasp, his back arching in response to the God of Thunder's expert touch. 

"Nngh… H-holy hell Blondie… You're pretty friggin good at this…" He groaned as the Asgardian continued to stroke him. He normally didn't like to feel small, but there was something about being fondled by such a mountain of a man that was making him appreciate the difference in their size. He really was the definition of a gentle giant. 

"Hah, Years of practice my friend. Eons actually…" The warrior mused, thoroughly enjoying his time exploring what made his friend tick. Despite all his experience, this was just as much new territory for him as it was for Rocket, and he was savoring every new discovery. "You're no slouch either Rabbit… Men twice your size have struggled to take even half of me as you did. I'm impressed…" 

"Anhh… G-guess you could say I'm a glutton for punishment. Or just a big friggin' cock pig…" he moaned. Thor's hand stroked his furry belly and chest in slow circles, his body tingling with every feather light touch. Rocket felt hot all over, collapsing back against the big brute. He was huffing and panting like he was losing his mind, and honestly it was a strong possibility at this point. 

Thor reached over the drawer on the bedside table, rummaging around in it until he pulled out a tiny bottle of massage oil. He sat up against the wooden headboard and the mountain of pillows behind him, pulling Rocket close so that his back was pressed up against the Asgardian's stomach. His legs hung limp against Thor's sweaty thighs. Wordlessly he poured a copious amount of oil between his palms and reached down to firmly grip both his and Rocket's hard tools. He slowly frotted them against each other, the warmth of Thor's cock squeezed up against his in the Asgardian's strong grip sending Rocket into complete overdrive. 

"Ahh… Annghh… F-fucking hell that feels nice… " He gasped as he flattened himself against the man, his fur standing on end as every stroke sent goosebumps across his skin. He wanted to feel Thor on every inch of his body, the tip of his tail quivering as the powerful man continued his expert ministrations. Thor began to thrust his hips, the slick precum from both of their cocks mingling together as the man increased his speed. 

"I told you… I've learned a few tricks over the years." Thor murmured, utterly engrossed in his task. He let out a low, guttural growl as he worked, a vibration rumbling through his chest and stomach that sent pinpricks down Rocket's spine. 

"I'll say ya have…" he replied, half present and half on another plane of existence of pure unadulterated pleasure. His head was swimming, utterly lost in the sensory overload that came from being with the God of Thunder. His balls were squeezed against the shaft of Thor's cock, the friction getting them dangerously close to release. 

"H-hang on a sec Blondie!" Rocket cried out, rolling off Thor's stomach and onto the bed. His whole body trembled, his legs feeling as though he had just run a marathon. A comforting hand was on his shoulder in an instant. 

"Are you… quite alright there my friend?" Thor said, sounding thoroughly winded himself. 

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine…" he huffed, staggering to his feet with some difficulty. He wrapped his arms around Thor's neck, pulling him in close for another long breathless kiss. "I just don't want this to be over yet, ya know?" he said bashfully. So much for all his macho talk about having endurance earlier…

He crawled over to the opposite end of the bed and between Thor's legs, ignoring the man's quizzical look. "And besides… I still gotta have a go at that ass after ya hyped it up yesterday…" he said as he grabbed Thor's thick rump, giving the firm cheeks a gentle squeeze. 

"Rabbit… what are you… Ah!!" A gasp of genuine surprise left Thor's lips as he felt Rocket's tongue against his asshole. The raccoon raked it against the tender rosebud slowly, teasing the warrior's most sensitive of parts. Judging from the way Thor was jerking and quivering, it had been awhile since he had been serviced down there, if at all. That was just the way Rocket liked it. His companion was big and powerful - a God who had apparently seen an impressive amount of sexual encounters in his long lifespan. 

And Rocket could still make him _moan_. 

"You're not the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve…" Rocket said slyly before dive bombing back onto the Asgardian's hole. He spread the cheeks apart, enjoying their heft against his nimble hands as he lapped at Thor's tight pucker hungrily, eager to hear his powerful beau whimper and mewl. He pressed his face further between Thor's cheeks, his tongue trailing up his hairy taint and balls before returning his attention to the man's hole. He attacked it with ravenous hunger, his face becoming soaked with spit and sweat, but it was worth it to make Thor's toes curl like that. He finally plunged his tongue inside, the Asgardian giving a curiously uncharacteristic little squeak in response. 

If it had been anybody else, he would have taken an enormous amount of savage pleasure in reducing a powerful man like this into such a state. But with Thor his heart hammered with excitement, wanting nothing more than to make the Asgardian feel _good._ He wasn't sure if this was uncharted territory for such an experienced man, or perhaps having his ass eaten was just a particularly sensitive hot spot for him, but either way he almost felt a tinge of pride that Thor felt comfortable enough to share this side of himself with him. There was no holding back for the Asgardian now: The sturdy bed frame trembled as he thrashed with pleasure, stroking his cock in rhythm to every lash of the raccoon's tongue. 

"Guh… Ngh… R-Rocket… Puh-Pleaaaaseee…" Thor cried as though he were caught in a spell the angry little mechanic had cast on him. It wasn't like Thor to beg, but Rocket wasn't about to deny him anything at this point either. He came up for air, standing so that he could look Thor in the eyes. 

"Please what?" He said as he stroked the man's thighs encouragingly. "Tell me what ya want. " 

"I… I…" Thor stammered, looking startled his own reaction. The confident, experienced man who had coaxed Rocket out of his shell now looked unusually nervous, as though the words were on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't bring himself to say it. 

_Looks like it's time to be the captain again…_

"C'mon man. You can do this. You got us this far, didn't ya?" he smiled. 

"You.. You’ll not be satisfied until I say it, will you?" Thor groaned, looking like he wanted to disappear into the bed. 

"I ain't gonna make you say anything you don't wanna big guy…" he said gently "...but I'm pretty sure you do. You're not about ta hold back on me are ya?" 

"No, of course not! I'm just not accustomed to… to being on the bottom." he finally admitted. "It's been a very long time since I have. Far longer than I'd like to admit..." 

"Heh, if yer nervous about me I dunno how the hell you thought you were gonna take Banner." 

"I-I said I was only curious! And that doesn't leave this room!" Thor growled. "I just don't want to disappoint you…" 

"You can say that all ya want, but honestly I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I even made it this far with ya." Rocket leaned forward, grabbing the discarded bottle of massage oil and getting his fingers slick with it. He reached down to Thor's hole and greased up the tight ring while he applied a generous amount to his cock. He stood over the Asgardian as he stroked it, emboldened to hear the even gods have their own anxieties. 

"Honestly dude? I'm happy just being here with ya." He said as he ran his cock between the man's cheeks, teasing it against the hairy pucker. "You could tell me ta stop right here and I wouldn't be disappointed, I promise. You want me ta take it slow or even back right the hell off and I'll do it, no questions asked." He locked eyes with Thor, never more sure of himself than he was right in that moment. "I wanna make ya feel like a king, big guy. I just need you ta tell me what ya want." 

Thor met his gaze, his eyes filled with the same admiration that he had when he had first found the loveable rogue all those years ago. The man who flew a total stranger who crashed into his ship’s windshield to Nidavellir without question. Who gave him an eye and asked for nothing in return. Who risked his life to create Stormbreaker with him. 

And who came to find him every time he ran away. 

"Take me Rocket." he said, his voice full of need. It wasn't a command - It was a plea. 

"Atta boy…" Rocket purred. And with that he slowly pushed his slick cock inside of Thor, still in awe that he was actually fucking the God of Thunder.

"AH! R-rabbit!" Thor hissed through gritted teeth, his face twisted into a grimace. Even though Rocket wasn't massive, he was still thick enough to cause him some initial discomfort. 

"Easy big guy…" Rocket said softly, waiting for Thor's body to adjust before he pushed in any more. "Focus on your breathing… C'mon now, in through the nose just like that. There ya go…" he continued to coach the Asgardian as he slowly inserted more, until his cock was completely buried inside the herculean behemoth. 

"Haa… Y-you're… so big…" Thor said, trying his best to control his breathing as Rocket instructed. The raccoon kept himself hilted inside the man as his sphincter slowly spread open wider, the discomfort starting to melt into a tingling warmth that spread through his body.

"Naw I'm not. You're just crazy tight…" Rocket chuckled, slowly beginning to thrust inside him. "But your ass is like friggin _velvet_ man…" he said, pulling out entirely before sliding it back into the warm suction of Thor's hole. He earned a sharp yip of pleasure from the Asgardian for that. 

Rocket continued at a steady, controlled pace for a good while. Once Thor had gotten into the rhythm though he was like a man possessed. All of the brash confidence he had earlier flooded back into him as each thrust of the raccoon's cock sent a wave of euphoria through his body. He pushed back against Rocket's thrusts, hungry growls beginning to mix with his submissive whimpers. "Ahnnn… Ahh… That's it you cur… F-fuck me! Ngh… Just like that…" he panted, his whole body doused in sweat. 

"Mmrgh... Oh I'm a _cur_ huh? Is that yer idea of dirty talk?" Rocket snarled, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he pumped into the chubby blonde Adonis with relentless fervor. Every time Thor got a bit too cocky he would slam his dick roughly into the tender chute, silencing him with a yelp. The big man lifted his legs, holding on to them for dear life while Rocket continued his assault, their wills both insatiable. 

The raccoon's fat torpedo continued to spear into Thor's hole, the sound of Rocket's balls slapping against the Asgardian's firm cheeks filling the bedroom. Restraint had been utterly forgotten on both of their parts, with Thor roaring for more and Rocket only too happy to test the warrior's limits. They both needed this - to completely and utterly surrender themselves to each other in sweet, carnal succor. And yet they were both still competing, each man eager to win another frantic moan or pleasured howl from the other as a badge of honor. 

One advantage in Rocket's favor was his small stature and flexibility though. The Asgardian's cock bounced lewdly in front of his face like a hypnotist's talisman, and the raccoon was only too eager for another taste of the nectar of the gods. He bowed his head, lapping at the sweet ambrosia that leaked from Thor's manhood without pausing his ruthless attack on the man's ass. The God of Thunder had sheer strength on his side though. He wrapped his legs around the raccoon and reached down to shove his head down further on his throbbing tool. His warm hole slurped and sucked at Rocket's cock almost as well as the engineer's mouth did on his. 

Rocket was reaching the brink of total exhaustion, but he couldn't stop - not if it meant no longer getting to see that look of pure unadulterated satisfaction on Thor's face. Even when he was getting fucked silly, he was still dominant and powerful, smirking at the raccoon with such a resolute expression that it was practically a _dare_ for him to take it easy on him. And if there was anything that would make Rocket want to rut the big lug even harder, it was a challenge. Here in bed they were both beasts, panting and growling with wild abandon. He gripped the Asgardian's hairy tree trunk thighs firmly, the fair skin blanching white around his fingers as he put every ounce of his strength into each thrust, powerful enough to make even the Mighty Thor's massive body quake. 

"Annghh… Mmmfhh!! R-Rocket!!" Thor suddenly yelled, his legs crashing down onto the bed so fast that he almost knocked his comrade off balance. He gripped his nipple in one hand, squeezing it hard while he jerked his cock with feverish strokes. His eyes were squeezed tight, teeth bared and gnashing as he reached his limit. 

"C'mon man… Let it out!" Rocket yelled, feeling his own climax quickly approaching as well. “Let’s see what ya got ya big lug!!” 

Thor was only too happy to accommodate. With one final roar he shot his load, blasting thick ropes of semen across his stomach and chest. A particularly impressive arc spattered just under his mouth, frosting his beard with it. With every shot his body spasmed until he was left spent, panting in exhaustion and drenched with his own cum.

The sight of that was what finally pushed Rocket over the edge. He fell forward against Thor's trembling body, wrapping his muscular arms around Thor's waist as he gave one last slam into the man's ass. He let out a shuddering cry, sounding as though he were about to burst into tears as the floodgates were opened. He bucked his hips feebly as he firehosed hot bursts of his seed inside Thor's tender hole.The raccoon howled in near hysterics, flooding the man's ass with the deluge of pent-up spunk that had been waiting for release over the past few days. 

When he finally finished he couldn't move - he couldn't even speak. All he could do was just lay on top of Thor, totally limp as the two men gasped in total exhaustion, hearts racing and drenched in each other's sweet, sticky afterglow. 

_So this is how I die huh…? I gotta say… not a bad way to go…_

The combination of euphoria and exhaustion left Rocket paralyzed on top of the big man. He barely registered being lifted up by strong hands and carried to the wash basin as he was cleaned off. He didn't remember how he made it back to Thor's bed, or exactly at what point he had gotten under the covers with a massive arm wrapped tenderly around him. Hell, he didn't even remember falling asleep.

There were still fears that lingered in Rocket's head - that he had made a mistake, that he was getting into something he couldn't handle. Just like the rain outside, those thoughts had gotten lighter but they hadn't gone away completely. But he would save all that for the morning. 

Right now all he knew was that if this whole experience was just a dream, he would pump anybody who tried to wake him up full of lead. 


	6. Rabbit in the Kitchen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez that last chapter really blew up in a way I wasn't expecting. Back to another SFW chapter for now, so I hope everyone enjoys reading!
> 
> Also thanks again to @Beaugilliam for providing the amazing artwork for this chapter! I'm quite sure that the story's success has a lot to do with it. 💚

It wasn't a blast of thunder that stirred Rocket from his sleep the next morning, but a low rumbling snore from the man he had spent the night curled up next to. He almost didn't want to wake up: If he woke up then he just might find out that this whole thing had been nothing more than a dream, and the thought of that was agonizing.

But the warmth of the muscular arm draped over his shoulders was enough to convince him that what happened last night wasn't just a particularly _vivid_ nocturnal emission - though he did have a few good ones concerning the Asgardian over the past few years if he was being honest. As colorful as the raccoon's imagination could get though, reality had put all of that to shame. Not only did he manage to actually have sex with Thor, but _damn_ it was good. Mind-blowingly, toe curlingly, 'why the hell is my fur so sticky' levels of good. It was still hard for Rocket to believe that the big man had let him go to town on him like he had - or that he even shared the same feelings towards him in the first place.

The other reason he didn't particularly feel like waking up was because he was just so damn _comfortable_. It had been ages since he had gotten to sleep in a proper bed like this for starters, and the luxurious Asgardian sheets were so soft and cool against Rocket's fur that he couldn't imagine going back to sleeping in crappy little bunks again after this. This encounter was certainly starting to spoil him for the finer things in life. And hell, it was nice not having to steal them for a change.

For now though he was thoroughly enjoying being curled up next to the God of Thunder. He was lucky that Thor didn't seem to toss and turn much in his sleep or he might have found himself completely buried under the mountain of a man - and that definitely wasn't the way he wanted to get closer to the big lug. Thor would emit a soft grunt every so often, his muscles twitching much like a dog who was in the middle of a dream. Being embraced by his warm, powerful body, surrounded by his enticingly masculine scent was enough to make Rocket want nothing more than to wrap his arms as far around the man as he could and go right back to sleep. Or at least he would have if the man wasn't currently snoring like a buzz-saw anyway…

_Guess he's not perfect after all… Pretty damn close though.  
_

Crap. He really had it bad now didn't he?

Rocket sighed, pushing himself up out of the comfortable cocoon of blankets. He made his way over to the opposite end of the bed to look out the window, careful not to wake the sleeping giant. It was light out, and the storm that had been pummeling the shores for the past few days seemed to have finally subsided. Instead of the roiling dark grey clouds the sky was a murky white, everything outside completely blanketed in a hazy fog. He could just barely make out the ghostly outline of trees in the distance through the heavy mist. It wasn't ideal weather, but it at least put his mind at ease that the lodge would flood if the rain kept up like it had.

But now a whole new host of fears had taken residence inside Rocket's head. Everything was moving so damn fast that he was starting to get emotional whiplash. Just a few days ago he was struggling to work through all the resentment and frustration that he had felt towards Thor for acting like such a mess during the war. Then it was the embarrassment of knowing that despite being one of the most flawed people he knew (besides himself of course), he still didn't feel like he was good enough for the Asgardian. Now here he was, sharing a bed with the guy he spent so long dreaming about, completely head over heels for him.

And that was probably the part that scared him most of all. What was going to happen now? It was too late to take back anything he had said or done at this point, so just what the hell was he supposed to do? Move in with Thor, buy matching sweater vests and spend every night curled up in front of the fireplace, clinking their long-stemmed glasses of red wine while gazing into each other's eyes like a couple of douchebags? No, of course not. He knew that he would have to leave when the Guardians came back for him. And yet he _still_ let things go further with Thor against his better judgment, and he felt like an idiot for putting himself in a situation that would have been so easily avoided if he had just exercised a bit more self control.

Then again, the thought of not having taken a chance like he did last night, never getting to experience kissing Thor or feeling his hot, trembling body beneath his own was now completely unbearable. And so was the thought of leaving him behind…

"Not planning on running out on me, are you Rabbit?"

Rocket looked over at the Asgardian with surprise. A flash of blue peeked out from under his half closed eyes, looking over at the raccoon with a groggy smile on his face. "I'd hate to think you were the sort of cad who'd sneak out on his lover while he slept. It's poor form you know." The big man said sleepily, giving his chest a small pat of invitation

Normally Rocket would have gagged at the word "lover" but there was something about it coming from Thor that sent a pleasantly warm feeling straight into the pit of his stomach. "Wouldn't dream of it Blondie." he chuckled as he made his way back over to the drowsy warrior, crawling on top of him and planting his head between Thor's brawny pecs. "But I gotta tell ya, you keep snoring like a friggin freight train and I just might be tempted to."

Thor wrapped his arm around Rocket again, chuckling at the soft groans he was able to coax out of the furry curmudgeon as he gently stroked down his spine to the base of his tail and back up again with the tips of his fingers. "Oh? Well I'm not sure if I have any control over that. I'm quite the heavy sleeper." he said with a wry grin. "I suppose I'll just have to keep a tight grip on you then. I would very much prefer you not leave my side after all…"

"Good ta hear. I'd prefer not to either ya know..." Rocket sighed, inhaling deeply to get another hit of Thor's musk. "I'm definitely starting ta like it here."

"Here in New Asgard or between my chest?" Thor laughed, stroking Rocket's bushy bottlebrush tail, the smooth fur gently trickling through his rough hands.

"Well it's not like I've been able ta see much of this place with all the friggin rain, so whaddya think I meant?" he teased.

"Mmm… I suppose that's true." The big man mused. "I'll have to take you into town one of these days and give you a proper tour. Your answer just might change when you see what it has to offer."

"Eh… I got a look around the place last time I was here. Trust me, the smell of fish and low tide can't quite compete with being here with ya like this…" he said, closing his eyes and leaning his head against Thor's pleasantly warm muscles. "It's nice."

"I'm glad to hear that, Sweet Rabbit…" Thor rumbled with contentment, locking his arms around Rocket's back. "So then… Care to tell me what's bothering you?"

Rocket gave a flustered huff. He would have smacked his forehead were his arms not currently pinned to his side by the man's firm grip. "Rrgh… How the hell do you always know when something's up with me? What, can all Asgardian's also read minds too?" he said, looking up at Thor guiltily.

"If I told you we could, would you believe me?" Thor said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"Honestly? I probably would." Rocket admitted. "Wouldn't be the craziest thing I've learned about ya."

"Hmm, well that _is_ good to know. I'll have to take advantage of that in the future." he said shaking his shaggy head with an amused look. "But no, I'm afraid we don't my friend. I've just learned a bit about you from our time together. You always do that… thing with your ears when you're pondering something." he said, giving Rocket's left one a gentle flick.

"Wait, what the hell? No I don't!" Rocket growled, wriggling out of the man's embrace and sitting on top of him, arms crossed. "What _'thing'_ huh?" Now that Thor had brought it to his attention he found that he was suddenly hyper aware of what his ears were doing. He tried his best to make them look as "casual" as possible, whatever the hell that meant.

Thor couldn't help but stifle a laugh, stroking the raccoon's chest in an attempt to mollify him. Despite his sudden irritability, Rocket neither flinched nor pulled back, accepting the man's touch without a fuss. "Mmm, well perhaps you don't notice it, but your ears tend to do this little er… twitchy thing when you're deep in thought." The big man illustrated this by waggling his fingers in a rough approximation. "It's rather charming actually."

Rocket would have fought this claim but getting a compliment from the big lug was enough to let all the hot air out from him. He settled on looking halfway between irritation and sheepishness instead, scooting off of Thor and lying down next to him with a deep sigh. "Alright… I guess you caught me. Kinda wish you weren't so damn good at telling when I'm all up in my head like that… It's pretty friggin annoying actually."

"Well you hide it so poorly." Thor smirked. "Do you… want to talk about it?"

"If I'm being honest? Not particularly, no." Rocket muttered before taking a deep breath. "...But I'm still gunna. I owe you that much at least." The words were on the tip of his tongue, but it suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. Nobody could deny that the raccoon was tough as nails - at least not to his face anyway. But right now he just felt like a scared, insecure kid. It was only the feeling of Thor's warmth against his side that encouraged him to keep going.

"What the hell is gunna happen now? Y'know, with you and me?" He said, staring up at the ceiling. He must have sounded like an idiot and he hated it, but Thor had already seen him at his most vulnerable by now. Why not just let it all hang out? "I really like you, ya know? A _lot_ . More than I've ever liked anybody actually. I feel like you're the first guy in the goddamn universe to see _me_ right off the bat and not some freak of nature I had ta prove myself to first, and I don't really know how to handle that…"

Thor rolled over onto his side, propping his head against his arm as he looked down at Rocket with a mixture of sympathy and confusion. "But… how can that be? You told me that you've been intimate with other men before…"

"Pft. _Intimate_ ." Rocket snorted. "I dunno what you'd call getting fucked in a pitch black alley behind a dirty booze joint, but I sure as hell wouldn't call it intimate." he said with a huff, still unable to bring himself to look at Thor. All he could do was keep talking at this point. "Yeah, I've been with other dudes before, but it was like… I dunno… scratching an itch. At least for me anyway. For the other guy it may have been that. Or maybe the _novelty_ of sticking their dick up a furry little midget or something." he said with a bitter laugh. "Y'know, last night was the first time I've ever done it in an actual bed. Or with a guy I actually gave two shits about..."

He finally turned to look up at Thor, the big man patiently waiting for him to continue. "I ain't afraid of anything, but you scare the hell outta me Blondie and it's got nothin' ta do with your lightning powers or being a king or a god or whatever. I've never felt like this about anybody before in my life and it's kinda terrifying. I fell for ya about as hard as you smacked into the windshield of my ship back when we first met, and now that I've finally got ya here with me like this, I dunno what to do next. Especially when I know I'm gunna havta head back out eventually… "

There were a few moments of tense silence between them before Thor cleared his throat. "You know why it's so easy to tell what you're thinking? It's because you and I are quite similar." he said with a warm smile, his eyes full of gentle affection. "We're both stubborn, pig-headed jackasses but try as we might, it's impossible to fully conceal our true feelings. For you, it's your ears that give it away." He laid back against the mattress again, gazing over to the window. "For me… well, it's a bit more dramatic."

Rocket furrowed his brow, looking over at Thor in confusion. "Whaddya mean? Sure you can get pretty mopey but…"

The warrior let out a small laugh under his breath. "Oh come now Rabbit, I know for a fact you couldn't have missed that storm…"

"Yeah? What about it?" the raccoon asked, not fully understanding what Thor was getting at. After just a moment though, all the puzzle pieces finally clicked into place with a sudden, startling clarity. "Wait… waitwaitwait!" Rocket stammered, his eyes going wide. "You mean this whole time… That massive friggin hurricane out there… You're tellin' me that was _YOU_ ?!"

"I mean… wasn't it obvious?" Thor blinked at Rocket in surprise.

"What? No!! How the hell would that be 'obvious'!" Rocket yelped, completely caught off guard. "I mean… maybe it should have been? I dunno! Since when the hell could you control the goddamn weather? I thought you were just the thunder and lightning guy!" Okay, he took back what he said earlier: Maybe he was a _little_ intimidated by Thor's powers afterall…

"Er… Well, I can't control the rain. Not really anyway..." he said, his cheeks coloring a bit. "When I get upset or depressed it just sort of _happens_. There are times where the storm is over quickly and I can get on with my life, and then there are others where there seems to be no end to it. As you can imagine the latter has been much more frequent these past few years… and much more terrible."

He paused for a moment, looking back over at Rocket, a glint of shame behind his eyes. "It was especially bad when we returned from The Garden. I had killed Thanos but… I still couldn't atone for my failure. I couldn't bear to be around my comrades from the Avengers after that, so I fled here thinking I could help what remained of my people. But the storms just kept getting worse and worse, and I was only making things harder for everyone around me. The only thing that seemed to make them stop was, well… when I was drunk. So I made sure that I was properly smashed every waking hour, 'for the good of everyone'." He snorted, the last words heavy with sarcasm.

"Have you ever heard such a load of shit in your life?" Thor said dryly. "I had convinced myself that I was being a bloody martyr. That I was _helping_ by drowning myself in a flood of ale so that what remained of Asgard wouldn't be flooded by the unending storm of my grief. That I was making some sort of… I don't know, a noble sacrifice or something. In truth I was just being a coward." he spat out bitterly. "I never sought help, just comfortable distractions that would get me through another day. Eventually I forgot the reason I was doing it in the first place. Soon the days became years, and waking up and getting hammered became all I knew. That is, until you and Banner showed up of course."

"Heh, _hammered_ ." Rocket chuckled to himself before clearing his throat. "So then… What exactly were ya hoping ta do holing yourself up in this place huh? You told me yesterday that you being 'worthy' meant you didn't wanna drink yourself stupid anymore yeah?"

"Yes, that's true… but I could feel another storm coming on after the funeral." Thor sighed. "There was still so much grief. Still so many things I needed to figure out for myself - the least of which was trying to figure out my purpose after all this. I was hoping I would be able to find some way of finally conquering the storm inside me here." He smiled, reaching over for Rocket's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "And then once again, you showed up."

The mechanic could feel his face grow hot under his fur. He wrapped his fingers around Thor's comparatively massive hand, squeezing it back. Oddly enough it was comforting to know that he wasn't the only one spilling his guts today. "Glad I could be of help Blondie." he grinned. After a brief moment Rocket nodded over to the foggy scene outside the window. "So if yer feeling better, what the heck does all that mean then?"

"You know, I'm not entirely sure." the Asgardian shrugged. "I think it means I'm just as uncertain about all of this as you are, Rabbit. There was a time where I would have sworn my undying love, promised that no distance would ever be enough to keep us apart… but I've been down that road before. I'd like to think I'm not quite so full of starry-eyed naivete to swear those sorts of oaths anymore, knowing how cruel reality can be. The truth of the matter is, I don't know what comes next for you and I."

Suddenly the raccoon found himself being effortlessly picked up and placed back on Thor's chest, his dark eyes meeting the Asgardian's mismatched ones. "But… I also can't deny that I have strong feelings for you. I like you a great deal too, Rocket." He leaned forward, bringing his lips against the roguish pilot's, the warm hand against the back of Rocket's head guiding him into the kiss. He was only too eager to accept, letting out a soft moan into Thor's mouth. The many times they had kissed yesterday hadn't lessened the impact or made it feel any less special, and despite the uncertainty Rocket was going to do his best to make damn sure it wasn't the last time either.

The two men parted, grinning at each other like a couple of confused, lovestruck dorks. "If I've learned anything from what's happened these past few years, it's that I need to enjoy these moments here with you while I can." Thor said firmly.

"I think I can live with that." Rocket chuckled, giving the underside of Thor's neck a tender nuzzle. He didn't give two shits about maintaining his usual tough guy persona at this point - he finally felt like he had the go-ahead to show Thor all the affection he wanted without worrying if the night before had been a fluke or a mistake. It was a massive release to finally let go of all those thoughts and focus on making the most of the time he had with the big dope too. "So what did you have in mind for now eh?"

Thor thought for a moment. "Hrm, well I'm still rather tired from the erm… _workout_ you gave me last night. You're quite the animal in bed you know." he said with a lascivious wink.

"Takes one to know one I guess. Real proud of your little joke there, huh Airbag?" Rocket said with a yawn, getting good and cozy laying on top of Thor's pillowy chest as he punched the firm muscle playfully. Truth be told he was actually pretty tired himself from their nighttime adventure. His thighs still felt a bit wobbly.

"Perhaps a little bit." The Asgardian said, stifling a smile. "How about we just stay in bed and watch a bit of bad Earth television eh? It seems like the perfect morning for it." he said, gently scratching behind Rocket's ears.

"Sounds like heaven big guy..." he said as he leaned into Thor's touch. "Hey, by the way, I've got a question for ya." His tone suddenly became more serious, looking at Thor with surprising sternness. "Were you being serious about all that storm stuff you were saying before, or were you just yanking my chain?" he asked.

Thor's grin was so thoroughly devilish that Rocket had to wonder if a bit of his brother's love of trickery hadn't rubbed off on him. "Hah! I _did_ say I would try and test you, didn't I?" he laughed. "I suppose you'll just have to find out someday whether it's true or not, won't you?"

"Heh, Smartass…"

* * *

Rocket's question from the other day about why Thor had a TV in a house with no power outlets was finally answered. Thor showed him how he turned it on simply by shooting electricity from his fingertips, the single bluish white bolt arcing across the room and making the raccoon's fur prickle with static. Rocket was almost positive that this was a dangerous thing to do, but the big man claimed that it was in fact perfectly safe as he wrapped both arms back around him. He insisted that he knew exactly how much electricity to use to keep it powered on without causing a fire, asking the mechanic to trust him with an air of dubious certainty. Rocket had the good graces not to ask him just how many televisions he had gone through previously to figure that one out.

Either way, he found the experience of lazing in bed with the Asgardian to be extremely pleasant. It was nice to be able to touch him without needing any sort of pretense, the man's long beard grazing the top of his head as he laid back against him. They settled on watching an old mystery show Thor seemed to have a bizarre degree of intimate familiarity with, admitting that it was mostly due to the fact that it was one of the only programs not to air in Norwegian on local TV.

Rocket thought that it was a bit cute at how invested he got into it though, as silly and implausible as some of the plots of the episodes could get. He would occasionally interject with a question or two, usually having to do with Earth customs he wasn't familiar with, which Thor was always happy to give a chipper explanation to. There were a few times that Rocket was almost positive that he didn't actually know the answer and was making shit up on the fly, but either way it was just nice listening to him talk.

"Hang on a sec. So you're tellin' me that literally every time this broad goes anywhere, somebody ends up getting their ass murdered?" They had been watching for a few hours now, enough that Rocket started to notice some recurring themes. This episode, the heroine had discovered the body of an international tennis champion who appeared to have been simultaneously drowned and trampled to death by a horse 50 miles away from the nearest stable.

"Yes, and then she has to solve the crime using her sleuthing skills because the local law enforcement is always too incompetent." Thor replied.

"I mean, from firsthand experience that's probably the most realistic part about all this." Rocket snorted. "But if ya ask me, I'm pretty sure she's the one who's actually plugging the stiffs every episode and then 'solving' the murder by pinning it all on a new hapless dumbass."

"Oh come now, for over 200 episodes?" Thor laughed. "Don't be absurd!"

"C'mon, like it's any less crazy that somebody gets axed every time she gets on a plane or goes to a wedding or visits one of her million family members?" the raccoon said with a shrug. It was just revealed that the man who had been killed was involved in a love triangle with both a champion diver and a jockey socialite. There may have also been blackmail over a money laundering scheme involved somewhere through all of this.

"So you'd prefer a show about a woman just going about her day and having lovely, uneventful vacations where nobody gets murdered?" the Asgardian retorted.

"I didn't say _that._ Look all I'm gettin' at is that if it was _me_ who just happened to be around every time somebody got elaborately puzzlemurdered, I'd have the feds on my tail so friggin' fast." Rocket said. Oh shit, a manuscript for the heroine's latest unpublished novel was just discovered on the dead man's body. What the flying hell was going on in this show?

"Do people have a habit of winding up dead wherever you go?" The man grinned, fiddling with the spiky tuft of fur between the pilot's ears. "Should I be worried?"

"Naw. All coincidence I promise ya. Well, most of the time anyway. Now arson on the other hand…" he trailed off cryptically.

As much as he hated to admit it, he was finding himself getting sucked into the program. He'd try to figure out who the killer was before the heroine did, often blurting it out halfway through with extreme certainty. Thor, who already knew the answer would just give a noncommittal "Oh?" or "Hmm, you think so?" at his reply, listening to his reasoning but keeping a firm poker face as to whether he was on the right track or not.

Most of the time Rocket was able to guess correctly but there were still a few moments where he wound up with egg on his face. The episode they had been watching ended with the reveal that the tennis player had actually been killed by the head of the international sports committee who was keeping all three athletes' winnings in order to keep their salacious relationship from the press. Apparently the tennis player had invited the heroine to the game so he could steal her next novel's manuscript and sell it on the black market to finally get out from under his thumb. Rocket was so dumbfounded by the insanity of that reveal he couldn't even bring himself to be salty about being wrong.

Morning quickly became noon, both men losing track of time as they enjoyed the simple pleasure of each other's company. Before long though Rocket's stomach began to grumble, causing him to reluctantly stir from his cozy spot on the bed. "As much as I'm loving staying in and being a lazy bum, I'm starting ta get pretty hungry." he said as he stretched his arms, giving his knuckles a loud crack. "Whaddya say we get some grub eh?"

"Are you going to cook for me again?" Thor said, his eyes lighting up like an expectant puppy. If he had a tail, Rocket was certain it would be wagging.

"Guess again big guy." he smirked, waving his finger at the Asgardian. "I'll make breakfast, or uh I guess _lunch_ technically." he said with a glance to the clock. "But ya ain't just gunna sit here and look pretty - you're gunna help me out. I told you I would give ya a proper cooking lesson or two while I was here didn't I?"

Thor's face fell. It was evident that he was expecting the raccoon would bring him his meal in bed again. "Ah, right. I did say I would let you teach me didn't I?" he said, almost sounding like he regretted it. "But well, the next episode is the one about the haunted ski lodge and it's one of my favorites…"

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Aw c'mon, you told me you've seen these a hundred times. I ain't about ta let ya off the hook that easy." he chuckled, grabbing a fistful of Thor's beard and pulling him down to meet his gaze. "If you don't get that big sexy butt outta bed and come gimme a hand I'm gunna eat all of it myself. Capiche?"

Thor gave Rocket a pout. "By the gates of Asgard, you're quite the little taskmaster aren't you?"

"Eh, it's called tough love. Deal with it." Rocket said, giving Thor a smug smile before pulling him in for a kiss.

"Mmm… that's one Hel of a way to keep a man motivated…" Thor purred. "Very well then, I'll lend you my aid. I can't promise I'll be of very much help to you though."

"Don't worry your pretty little head about any of that Blondie. You just leave it ta me. I'll have ya whipped into shape in no time." Rocket said as he thumped his chest. "Anyway, get dressed and meet me in the kitchen, okay?"

"So you'd not have me cook in the nude then?" Thor said as he wagged his eyebrows at Rocket suggestively.

"If ya did that we wouldn't end up getting anything done. At least not cooking anyway…" Rocket countered with a wink. "Besides, I'd rather ya not get hot oil spattered on your dick. I'm gunna need that later."

Thor let out a thunderous guffaw. "Gahaha! Fair enough! I'll join you momentarily alright?" he said as he hopped out of bed and over to the washbasin to get ready for the day.

Rocket walked out to the baths to quickly clean himself off in the showers and grab the makeshift robe Thor had given him the other day. By now there was definitely no question that his other clothes were dry, but he couldn't have cared less about them. He buried his nose into the worn grey fabric, breathing in the amalgamation of scents that remained in the fibers. He could still smell Thor's musk on it but now it mingled with his own, as well as the subtle remains of a few other lingering scents: the meal he had cooked in it yesterday, the fragrant haze of the baths, the smoke of charred logs on the fireplace. It was hard to believe that after just a few days the shirt was able to trigger so many memories, but it was now officially Rocket's most prized possession.

He decided to forgo the belt around the middle today - there was enough extra fabric that Rocket could grab two big fistfuls of it and tie it into a makeshift bow above his tail. He rolled the sleeves up around his shoulders and examined himself in the mirror. It was a much better look honestly without all the extra bunching around the middle, and he preferred the way this showed off his muscular delts. He smoothed out the "Victory or Valhalla" lettering across the front, and with a wink and a pair of finger guns at his reflection he made his way back to the kitchens.

He had begun to take stock of what was available to cook with when Thor joined him. His hair was tied up as it had been during the battle with Thanos, but he had added a few braids that tucked behind the top of his ears and connected to the messy knot on the back of his head. His beard had been neatly plaited again as well, capped with a small gold bead today. He was considerably more put together than he had been over the past few days, wearing a pair of dark jeans instead of his sweatpants. He completed the ensemble with a sky blue henley shirt, rolling the long sleeves up around his biceps and keeping the top two buttons undone so his ample pecs were on full display.

Rocket let out a low wolf-whistle. "Lookin' good there big guy. Ya didn't havta get yerself dressed up all fancy just for me." he teased.

"Trust me Rabbit when I decide to actually be _fancy_ you'll know." he snorted, though he seemed to appreciate the compliment nonetheless. "Do you really think I look good though? Not like… How did you put it…? Ah right, I believe the term you used was 'like melted ice-cream' yes?" he said, staring down at Rocket and looking very much like he was trying not to laugh, his eyes glinting with playful revenge.

Even though he could tell Thor was messing around, he still couldn't help but grimace at the reminder of what he had said during their reunion. "Aw c'mon, you could never seem ta remember anything I told you back then, but THAT you do?" he groaned, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over him.

"Well, it _did_ wound my pride a bit." he sniffed. "Just because I'm a god doesn't mean I don't also have feelings you know..." he said as he made his way over to the raccoon by the ice box and crouched down to be eye level with him. It appeared that he was taking a great deal of pleasure in watching his ornery little beau twist in the wind.

"I know I know…" Rocket sighed. "I'm sorry I said that alright? I was being an asshole with a capital 'A'. I was just kinda shocked seeing ya look so different but I coulda shown a little bit of empathy or somethin'. I dunno if you've noticed this about me but I can be kind of an insensitive douchebag sometimes. But I'm tryin' ta be a little less of one, especially for you…" he hated being put on the spot like this, but he couldn't deny that he deserved it either.

Thor gave another thunderous peal of laughter. "Gahaha! Is that so? Well then, it would appear that we bring out the best in each other don't we?" he said as he pulled Rocket towards him and playfully ruffled his hair.

"Hey c'mon take it easy will ya?" he chuckled, squirming out of Thor's grip. "I got my fur all nice-looking for ya. Don't go messing it up already!"

"As you wish Rabbit! I _suppose_ I can accept your apology then." Thor relented, still smiling. "If I'm being honest though, I was a bit surprised to discover you still find me attractive even after I er… _changed_ so much." He said, patting his belly to emphasize what "change" he was specifically talking about.

"Look man, I may be an asshole but I ain't shallow." Rocket scoffed. "I didn't end up falling for ya because you had a six-pack. Quill and Drax both do and I wouldn't touch either of em if they were the last guys in the goddam universe." he said, shuddering at the thought. "So I'm telling ya right here and now, once and for all that I don't care that you gained weight. You're still a world-class stud, and I'd hope after last night you'd trust me when I tell ya that." he said firmly. "And besides, I actually like your beard like this." he added. "It's really friggin cute."

Thor wasn't one to blush very often but it gave Rocket a little jolt of satisfaction seeing his cheeks redden like that. "Ah! You really think so? You don't think it's a bit too long do you?"

"Nah, it suits ya big guy." he grinned, giving the end of the thick braid in it a gentle tug. "Now quit messin' around will ya? I still gotta give ya your cooking lesson." he said, turning back to take a proper look at the contents of the icebox. "By the way, why the hell do ya have so much stuff in here if ya don't know how ta cook?" he said, opening up a container of cream and sniffing it. The shelves of the fridge were actually jam packed with a wide variety of different ingredients. "Won't it all end up going bad?"

"Hey now, I'm not entirely helpless! I can at the very least feed myself with what I have here, just not particularly… well." He said, grimacing as he remembered having three meals a day of dried meat and salted fish with a bit of bread and jam before Rocket came along to rescue him from his solitude. "To answer your question though, the food never goes bad. Asgardian engineers were able to use the technology from an ancient relic my father had claimed from the frost giants - The Casket of Eternal Winters - to imbue these food storage units with special frost runes. Not only does it keep the food cold but it 'freezes' it on a molecular level, preventing it from ever aging or rotting. You could keep whatever you like in here and still find it just as fresh a thousand years later."

"Woah, no shit?" Rocket said, genuinely impressed. "So it stops things from aging right? What would happen if you put a person inside one of these then?"

"Well… they'd still either suffocate or freeze to death." Thor said bluntly. "But I suppose their corpse would be perfectly preserved even if it were found a century or two later."

"Hah! Good ta know." Rocket said with a macabre laugh. "Anyway I think I got an idea for something simple I can teach you with what ya got here. A nice stew is pretty easy ta make, and it's something that can help warm ya up whenever you get back from beating up giants out in the frozen wastelands or whatever." Rocket said, starting to pull out ingredients he knew he would need. "How's that sound big guy?"

"I'd say if it's anything like the breakfast you made yesterday, I'm in good hands." Thor flashed his brilliant smile down at Rocket. "You have a real talent for it."

It was still a bit hard for Rocket to take compliments like that, but he at least felt comfortable enough with Thor to know that it was an honest one. "Well… Thanks Blondie." Suddenly he paused as an old memory flooded back into the forefront of his mind. "Heh, maybe your mom wouldn't be too happy with me afterall…"

"Hm? What in the Nine Realms makes you say that all of a sudden?" Thor asked.

"You don't remember what she said to you when we were on Asgard?"

"Er… Which part exactly?" Thor furrowed his brow. "We spoke at length about a great many things."

"I think she'd rather me show ya how to make a salad than this." Rocket chuckled, shaking his head. "Geez and I thought I was blunt…"

"Bah!" Thor scoffed, though Rocket noticed the tip of his nose grew a slight shade of pink. "To be fair my mother was always trying her best to get me to eat more dreadful rabbit food even before I gained weight. Er, no offense to present company of course..."

"None taken man I can't stand all that leafy shit either. No offense to Groot, wherever the hell he is right now." Rocket smirked. "But I guess you can say whatever the hell ya want when you're a mom huh?"

"Apparently so. She didn't mean anything malicious by it in any case. I think she knew I was eating a lot of unhealthy junk food." he shrugged. "On Asgard I was known to swipe an armful of pastries from the palace kitchens and lock myself in my room whenever I was upset."

"Y'mean back when you were a kid?" Rocket cocked his eyebrow.

"... Er, yes of course, of course!" Thor said, his nose growing a shade pinker. "Absolutely when I was a child. I wouldn't do that as a _grown man_ , would I? That would be… ridiculous." he muttered clearing his throat. "In any case! My mother's wishes aside, I would very much prefer to learn the recipe you intended to show me."

"Don't worry big guy, I got yer back." Rocket said as he turned his attention back to the contents of the fridge. Luckily for him, Earth produce was relatively uncomplicated compared to some of the more exotic cuisine found on other planets. "These mushrooms here any good?" he asked as he unwrapped a bundle of them.

"I mean… I'm certain they'll taste fine as far as mushrooms go." Thor shrugged. "Personally I'm not really sure. I don't usually eat too many of them."

"That's not what I meant." Rocket said as he sniffed at one. All he could get from it was a slightly earthy scent. "I was askin' if they're, y'know... poisonous?" It would have been immensely stupid for somebody to keep anything dangerous like that in the same place as the rest of their food, but he was learning not to put anything past Asgardians.

"What? Thor snorted. "Of course not! Really now Rabbit, nobody is trying to assassinate me here…"

"Alright alright, don't get your beard in a knot, just checking." Rocket said, nibbling a chunk off the end to sample it.

"Unless… No no. I'm certain they're fine. I think." Thor added hastily, suddenly sounding considerably less certain than he had a few moments ago.

Rocket glowered at the Asgardian with a mouthful of half chewed, potentially poisonous mushroom before swallowing it. "Eh, whatever I'm pretty sure they're okay. Besides if they're not, what the hell would we care we'd be friggin dead." he said nonchalantly. "That'd be one hell of a kicker huh? Surviving Thanos but taken out by goddamn mushrooms." he laughed darkly.

Unsurprisingly, that was not Thor's preferred method of being sent off to his ancestors - they'd never let him hear the end of it with such a pitiful death. He pulled down a herbalist's diary from one of the shelves to confirm that the mushrooms in question were in fact, safe to eat. Meanwhile Rocket busied himself by gathering the rest of the ingredients for the stew, throwing caution to the wind and sampling a few different herbs until he found a combination he thought was suitable.

"Alright, let's get in gear big guy." Rocket said, hopping up onto a stool and spreading the ingredients out onto the handsome oak counter. He had tracked down every tool they would need for the recipe he had in mind. He was quite certain that by now he knew how to navigate the kitchen better than Thor did. "You start chopping up the meat." he nodded over to a thick slab of beef lying next to a cleaver he had set aside for it. "Bite sized chunks okay? Not too big. I'm gunna get started preppin' some of this other stuff and we'll go from there." he said as he began to deftly dice up some wild onions.

He had gotten halfway through them when a loud WHAM almost made him jump out of his skin. Thor was swinging the cleaver with such tremendous force that it left deep cuts into the wood beneath it. Rocket actually had to duck as bits of meat flew clear across the kitchen each time he slammed the blade down.

"Woah, hey hey cool it will ya!?" Rocket yelped. "You're making a mess!"

"You told me to cut it up so that's what I'm doing!" Thor huffed, clearly confused as to what he was doing wrong.

"Geez, You're not hacking apart a friggin dragon ya know. You're gunna seriously fuck up your knives if you keep doing it like that." Rocket said rubbing his temples. "Looks like I gotta start a little bit more basic with ya than I thought…" he moved the stool he was standing on closer to Thor, grabbing the big man's hand and guiding it. "For starters if ya end up cutting the meat like that it's gunna wind up being chewy. You gotta make sure you cut it against the grain like this." He said, gently showing the Asgardian how to saw through the meat. "Nice an' smooth just like that. There ya go..."

Despite his usually prickly demeanor, Rocket was actually a fairly patient and effective teacher with Thor. He had promised him a proper lesson after all, and he intended to make good on his word. Thor may have been a beginner, but despite his initial clumsiness he was a fast learner who was eager to do well and earn Rocket's praise. In turn, the raccoon was more than happy to answer any questions the man had and gently walk him through the process. He usually preferred to be in the kitchen alone, but he was surprised at how thoroughly he was enjoying having Thor along with him today.

Much of what made Rocket a good cook was a combination of his engineering skills and heightened sense of smell, but he still tried to give Thor any useful culinary tips that could be useful for any burgeoning chef-in-training. 

"I'm tellin ya, you could have the best ingredients this side of the galaxy and all the world-class tools money can buy, but the number one way people screw up a good meal is not tasting it while yer cooking it." he said, inspecting Thor's work as he stood on the kitchen stool. He nodded over to the wooden spoon near the stove. "Stews lookin' pretty thick. Give it a try and tell me whatcha think."

Thor bent forward, scooping up a small portion and cooling it before sipping it thoughtfully. "Mmm… I'd say the flavor is still a bit mild. Could use a bit more salt and pepper."

"Good call. Always better ta need more than ta put too much in the first time, cuz that's always a huge friggin mess." Rocket nodded. "Anything else stand out to ya?"

"Hmm… well I'm assuming that it's not customary to have one's hand placed so brazenly around the chef's ass while they cook, is it?" he said, shaking his head with a laugh. "If it is, I think I could rather get used to it. But otherwise I think the stew might be missing something, but I'm unsure what that might be."

Rocket's hand that had been against the small of Thor's back had indeed 'slipped' to firmly squeeze the Asgardian's rump. "Dude, you shove that thing in my face and expect me ta not wanna get a good grab at ya? Stew's not the only thing that's thick around here." he said with a wry grin, utterly unabashed by being called out. "Consider it your 'payment' for the cooking lesson Blondie." he gave Thor's ass a playful smack before turning his attention back to the meal they were preparing. "But yeah, I was thinking it might need a little extra somethin' too. Pass me some of that thyme stuff will ya? I think that oughta do the trick. It actually tastes pretty similar to an herb that grows on Arago-7 called saghatar..."

Before long, the kitchen was filled with a mouth-watering smell. The thick brown sauce was rich and creamy, soaking through the chunks of beef, wild mushrooms, and spiced potatoes inside the pot. Rocket had added in a few bits of cooked bacon into the mix which gave it a smoky aroma, explaining that no matter where you lived, there was always one universal constant: bacon makes everything better. The end result of their combined efforts was a stew that could only be described as 'heavenly'. 

Rocket had grabbed the remaining loaf of bread that he had eaten with breakfast the day before and was ladleing the stew into bowls for them when Thor had been struck by a sudden inspiration, running off to the rear of the kitchen. The raccoon heard a loud bang, a wooden crack, and the sound of spraying liquid combined with muffled cursing before the big man came lumbering back, holding two massive steins of clear amber liquid. "It would be a travesty to have a meal like this without a proper Asgardian ale to go with it!" He said, his face covered with a wide grin and a good deal of the ale that had spattered out of the wooden cask when he tapped it. "Not quite as good as what my father used to keep in his stores, but it's one of the first batches brewed here on Earth. I suppose a five year vintage will have to do."

"Uh… Not that I wanna be a killjoy here, but are you sure that's a good idea?" he said, eyeing the big man cautiously. He wasn't going to lie: He was eager for a drink himself, but not if it meant sending Thor back down the slippery slope he had just crawled out of.

"I'll only have the one, I promise." Thor said sitting down next to Rocket and sliding a glass over to him. "And yes, I know how that sounds! I'm quite sure that in the past I've made similar assurances to er… let's be generous and say disastrous results. But I give you my word Rabbit." He held out his hand to Rocket and extended his little finger. "I'm told that on Earth, binding one's hands like this forges an unbreakable oath. I believe it's called a 'pinky promise'." he added, noticing that Rocket looked utterly bewildered at the gesture.

"You positive you can handle this man?" He said locking eyes with Thor. There was no humor to his voice, no cheeky glint to his gaze - he wanted Thor to know that he was dead serious about this. "You and I can each kick back one since it's a special occasion, and that's it. You're one hell of a charming bastard when ya wanna be, but I ain't backing down on this. You go for another one and I'm gonna make damn sure I chuck each and every one of those barrels over the cliffside. I may not be very strong but I'm telling ya, I'll find a way to do it." He extended his arm and wrapped his pinky around Thor's. "And _that's_ a promise."

"Fair enough." Thor smiled. "I want to make sure I'm worthy of your trust."

"I know ya do Blondie." Rocket said. "I know this shit's been rough. I'm actually really proud of how much progress you've made." he said, releasing his grip and letting his shoulders relax. "Alright alright c'mon man, food's gonna get cold if we don't eat it soon. I wanna see if your first cooking lesson paid off."

Thor didn't need to be told twice. He dug in eagerly. The big man gave a full-body shudder of pleasure as soon as the spoon hit his lips, giving the table a hearty bang with his fist that made the plates clatter. "By the tail of the great Midgard Serpent! This is delicious! You've really outdone yourself Rabbit!" He said, soaking a hunk of bread in the creamy stew and hungrily tearing it between his teeth.

"What are ya tellin' me for knucklehead? All I did was the prepwork. You were the one who did all the actual cooking." He grinned as he took a swig of the ale. "Ugh. God damn this is good. Kinda wish I could take a barrel back with me for the ship…" he thought to himself a bit guiltily.

"Still I would never have been able to do any of this without your help!" Thor said boisterously. He had somehow already managed to polish off his first bowl and was going in for a second helping. "How in the Nine Realms did you manage to become such a good cook?"

"Hah! Funny story actually. The third prison I got sent off to had me workin' in the kitchens. There was this one jackass there who usta make smart cracks about me in there, sayin how he wouldn't eat anything I made because I was just an 'oversized rat' and he'd get rabies or some shit like that." he shrugged, biting into a chunk of beef and wiping sauce from him chin with his forearm. "So I figured I'd stick it to him by being the best damn cook in the place and after awhile I found out I had a knack for it. Who woulda thought eh?"

"So you're saying you learned how to cook out of spite?" Thor smirked. "That… explains quite a bit actually."

"Hey man, spite is one hell of a motivator, but it's not like cooking didn't have its own perks too. Made it real easy ta eat better than the other prisoners and earn a little favor with the wardens on the side - or sneak a little something extra into their dinner if I needed a distraction." he chuckled. "I started getting more into it after a while though, even after I busted out. Would always be a good way for me to keep myself occupied when I didn't have any explosives ta mess with or parts of the ship that needed repairing. Plus it's nice not having ta eat crap every now and then."

"The world has not been kind to you has it? But the fact that you still have the will to protect others speaks a great deal to your character I would say." Thor said, looking over the rim of his bowl at Rocket admiringly as he finished his second helping.

"Nah, I'm a bum. I just got really lucky." Rocket laughed. "I met people who helped me be a little bit less of one. First I found Groot, and we got ta be part of a family with the Guardians. And then, well… then you showed up." he said, smiling with a warmth he wouldn't have been capable of 10 years ago. "I'm grateful for that, ya know?"

"As am I, Rabbit." Thor said with a wink before diving back in for his third round of the wonderfully savory meal they had made together.

Between the Asgardian's voracious appetite and Rocket's competitive nature, they managed to completely drain the big pot of stew until there was nothing left. Rocket was so full that he could barely move, relying on Thor to sling him over his shoulder and carry him over to the couch in the living room to unwind. He tossed a few logs on the fireplace and before long the room was filled with a lazy, comfortable warmth.

They spent the evening together on the sofa, trading more tales and talking about some of the more outlandish murders from the program they spent the morning watching. It went on like that for hours, the dim light from the windows growing darker as the sun began to set. Rocket had to admit, maybe he was wrong about spending his days like this. Matching sweater-vests or no, there was something about curling up with Thor that felt like finally being home after years of wandering - searching for something he didn't know that he was looking for while floating around in the infinite void of space for so long. And it felt damn good.

After a while, the fire began to die down, Thor getting up to rekindle it. As he bent down to throw another log into the embers, he seemed to notice something in the pile of clothes that Rocket had left there to dry. "Er, you've got something flashing in your pocket Rabbit."

"Eh? What the hell?" Rocket snapped to attention, hopping off the couch to grab the communicator that he had left there. The green light that indicated he had missed several calls was indeed blinking, with a small orange light on to show that somebody had left him a voice message. "Ugh what the hell do they want? " He grumbled. "I'll be right back, lemme just check and see what's going on. Don't go anywhere." he said, looking at the big man apologetically.

"It's quite alright. I'll be right here when you get back." Thor chuckled, waving at the raccoon to take whatever time he needed. Rocket ducked into the small hallway that led back to Thor's bedroom before playing back the message that was left for him.

"Uh… Heeeey man. What the heck are you doing over there? I've been trying to reach you for hours." The voice of Peter Quill said. He sounded slightly annoyed, but mostly tired. "Well anyway I just figured I'd let you know that we're finishing up our repairs on the ship's hyperdrive over with the Stakar Ravager Clan... Should be all good to come swing by Shakespeare's house and come pick you up tomorrow. So I guess we'll see you soon Trash Panda. And uh… Hope you're doing okay." he added in awkwardly before the message went dead.

And _there_ it was. The cold hand of reality Rocket had been dreading for so long reaching its icy grip around his heart. The Guardians were on their way back to get him and his time with Thor would be over. He had no idea when would be the next time he could see him like this, or possibly if he would even be able to ever again. A lump formed in his throat as it all sunk in. He had been desperately hoping that he would get more time with him - that he could have just a few more days of not having to think about not getting to be with him like this anymore...

And if the sound of the low rumble of thunder in the distance was any indication, so had Thor.


	7. Rabbit on the Edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Here's the long awaited final chapter of the story. Thanks so much for your patience! 
> 
> Fair warning, this chapter is incredibly long and has a lengthy (and rather gratuitous) sex scene in the middle of it, so just a heads up. 
> 
> In any case, if you made it this far, I really hope you enjoy the finale. 
> 
> And to everybody reading out there, when things get bad, I hope you find someone to let you in from the rain. :) 
> 
> -Shibayama

_So this is how it ends huh? Damn…_

Rocket stood in the hallway, still staring blankly at the communicator that had been the bearer of such bad news. It was as if he was expecting it would suddenly flash with another message, telling him that the Guardians actually got held up a bit and would need more time to come get him. That there was actually some massive radioactive supernova that was holding up space traffic, or an ancient eldritch monstrosity that slithered out from the farthest reaches of the galaxy, or _something_ that would keep them from coming to pick him up for just a few more days. 

But he knew that it was too much to hope for - and that it was _probably_ a bit of a dick move to wish misfortune on his own crew just so he could have more time to spend with Thor. No matter how much he wished he could squeeze in more time with the guy he had developed such an aggravatingly deep affection for, he had to come to terms with the fact that he would only get one more night with him before the fantasy was over. And maybe that was why he didn't want to go back out to face Thor just yet: The thought of saying it out loud felt like it just might break him. 

Eventually though he steeled himself to shuffle back out into the living room. The big blonde Asgardian was still sitting there on the couch right where he had left him, but it was obvious from Thor's stony expression that the mood of carefree joy from just moments ago had been extinguished. Rocket hopped back up onto the leather couch, not sitting quite as close to the man as he had been earlier. He stared down awkwardly at his feet, unsure of what he should say. Thankfully, Thor saved him the effort. 

"So, your comrades are coming to fetch you tomorrow then?" he said, sounding as though he were trying to keep his tone light and casual, but there was a clear edge of disappointment to his words. 

Rocket sighed, sinking back into the couch as though he wanted to disappear into the buttery brown leather. "Guess you overheard huh? I figured that thunder outside was you." He could feel his head starting to pound again. How was it possible that such an incredible day could all be undone by something as small as a 15-second message? "But yeah, that was Quill. Guess they finished up with repairs faster than I thought they would. Just my goddamn luck eh? The one time anything with those chuckleheads went according to plan…" 

"I see…" Thor said quietly as he gazed into the fireplace, the light of the dancing flames reflecting in his glassy-eyed stare. "And you couldn't simply tell them that you'd like a few more days here? I was hoping to spend at least the better part of a week with you." 

Rocket squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get his thoughts in order. He couldn't deny that the same thing had crossed his mind too. "Trust me man, I _want_ to do that so friggin bad, you have no idea. Or well, maybe you do…" he said, looking at Thor guiltily. "But there's a ton of people across the galaxy that are gonna need our help getting back on track now that half the population suddenly blinked back into existence. Plus I know that Quill's eager to get a move-on tracking down Gamora, and I can't say I blame the guy. She's part of my family too." He leaned his head against Thor, the big man wrapping his powerful arm around his shoulder in response. "For once I can't be a selfish pick, but I really _really_ wish I could be."

"Hmph, you're far too honorable for your own good you know?" Thor grumbled as he gently stroked the fur on Rocket's arm. "You really ought to try being the roguish little bastard you work so hard to make everyone believe that you are."

"What can I say? I'm a regular Prince Charming." Rocket teased as he nuzzled Thor's side. "It's a damn shame I hafta leave though. I'm gonna miss this ya know? All of it…" 

"And… you don't regret what happened here?" Thor asked. Rocket knew he was trying to sound nonchalant, but a slight crack in his voice told him that the big guy was more emotionally invested in the answer than he wanted to appear. 

"Honestly? I really thought that I was gonna. That's why I held off for as long as I did. I didn't wanna fall head-over-heels for somebody that I'd havta leave in the end, but that ship sailed a long time ago ya friggin' casanova." he chuckled, his heart fluttering at the shy little smile he was able to coax out of Thor. "But even though it's gonna hurt like a bitch to head out tomorrow, I wouldn't trade my time here with ya for anything. Not for all the credits in the universe or every goddamn Infinity Stone - though maybe in this case the Time Stone could come in handy…" 

"Hah! I'm afraid that the good Doctor Strange is quite protective of the stone in his care." Thor laughed, ruffling the fur on Rocket's head playfully. "I rather doubt that he'll be lending it out any time soon, _noble_ as our cause might be."

"Yeah? Well for all the goddamn people who tried to keep those stones safe, it sure as hell didn't stop em from getting snatched up in the end." Rocket said, rolling his eyes. "I betcha I could find a way ta get that stone from the doc. I've managed ta nab stuff that was supposta be impossible to steal before, and I wasn't even doing it for love back then." 

A small jolt of panic suddenly ran though Rocket. Well, perhaps 'panic' was too strong of a word. It was definitely a smaller sensation: The uncomfortable awareness that he had just used the dreaded 'L-word'. Maybe it felt weird because it was the first time he had used it in a romantic context and not something along the lines of "I love how fast this flamethrower incinerated those chumps" or something. If he had blurted out his true feelings before everything they had been through these past few days, he probably would have fled out of sheer embarrassment. But now it didn't feel humiliating, just slightly unfamiliar. 

And maybe he _should_ have regretted being able to openly admit that he was in love with Thor when they only had one more night together. 

But he didn't. 

"And besides, you said it yourself." Rocket said, reaching up to scratch under Thor's chin. "If something is good…" 

"...You take it." the man replied with a smirk, wrapping his arm around Rocket's waist and pulling him in close. "I'm glad to see you taking Asgard's lessons so close to your heart." 

"Lucky I had such a handsome teacher then eh?" Rocket chuckled, stroking Thor's beard. "Look, I'm just as bummed out about this as you are, but I ain't gonna waste the time I have left here moping around. For now, I think I'd rather just enjoy being with ya while I can. Trust me, I'll have plenty of time ta feel like shit once I'm back on the ship." he said as he leaned his head against Thor's chest. "So whaddya say handsome? Think maybe you can hold off on the whole morose downer routine until after I'm gone?" 

"I suppose you leave me no choice as always, you little tyrant!" Thor chortled. "Why must you always insist on lifting my spirits when all I want to do is waste away in my own self pity?" 

"Because you're a hell of a lot cuter when you smile." Rocket said simply. "Gives me a reaaaal big case of the warm fuzzies whenever you flash those pearly whites at me." 

Thor willingly fell right into the trap Rocket had set for him, a broad grin on his rugged face. "By the beard of the Allfather, you're quite the beguiling sweet-talker aren't you?" he said, playfully tweaking the raccoon's ears. "Just what am I to do about you? I've survived interplanetary warlords, ravenous giants from the hellish depths of Muspelheim, and more than my fair share of my brother's nefarious machinations. But I think you just might wind up being the death of me." 

"Oh yeah? Well guess what?" Rocket said as he made his fingers into the semblance of a gun and pressed it against Thor's chest, right over his heart. "Blam. Murdered you." 

Thor made a theatrical flop back into the couch, groaning in mock agony. "Ahhh, what a travesty! That Asgard's finest and most _masculine_ warrior should be brought down by such a ruffian! Truly the halls of Valhalla shudder as one so mighty is felled not in glorious battle, but by the cold sting of betrayal!" he said, dramatically draping his muscular arm over his eyes. "But… perhaps not all is lost. Perchance the fallen champion can be revived by true love's kiss?" 

"But ain't it the beautiful princess who's supposta kiss the beast in this story? Looks like you've got it backwards there Blondie." Rocket sniggered as Thor scowled at the barb. "Geez, you sure know how to milk a moment don't ya?" he said as he crawled on top of the prone Asgardian. 

"You'd rather I be brooding and sulky then?" Thor asked, peeking out from under his arm. 

"Hm. Point taken. Now shaddup will ya? Yer supposta be dead." He chuckled, grabbing Thor and parting his lips with a kiss, earning a hearty growl from the man. Thor gently stroked the back of the raccoon's head with his free hand, pulling him in close for a proper snogging session that made Rocket's toes curl. 

"Well, it would appear you truly are a charming prince afterall." Thor said as he uncovered his face, his cheeks flushed. "And here I was thinking that I had managed to find myself a proper beast. What a shame." 

"Oh yeah? Well if ya wanna see this prince turn back into a beast, kissing me like that is a good way ta do it." Rocket purred. "I could definitely go for a 'happy ending' if ya know what I mean. I'm starting ta get pretty worked up here big guy…" He said sitting back on Thor's stomach with an unabashed grin on his face, his erection tenting noticeably against his makeshift robe.

"Oho! Is that so?" Thor said, reaching over to grip the engineer's manhood through the shirt, Rocket letting out a soft grunt as he squeezed it firmly. A wet, sticky spot was quickly starting to bloom where the tip of his cock strained against the fabric. "Well then, it would be incredibly rude of me not to offer my aid in your hour of need after you went through the trouble of bringing me back to life wouldn't it?" 

He placed his thumb against the wet spot, a silken strand of precum clinging to it. He brought it to his lips, savoring the taste of his lover's sweet offering with a growl like a hungry animal. 

The sight was almost enough to make Rocket blow his load right through the baggy shirt. Just what was it about this big blonde lug that could make his knees buckle with nothing more than a touch? Or the way that just watching him lap the sticky nectar from his fingertips made his cock twitch, eager to produce more for the man to relish. He was starting to wonder just which one of them was actually the beast in this story after all.

Before he could think any further on it, Thor suddenly scooped the raccoon up firmly in his powerful arms. He hopped off the couch and carried Rocket bridal-style, his hard cock bobbing wildly with each of Thor's steps like a lone dinghy in a roiling sea. 

"If it is to be my last night with you Rabbit, then I shall make it one worth remembering." Thor said as he made his way over to the baths. "There is one more experience I was hoping I would get the chance to share with you in the future, but as you're departing quicker than expected, I suppose there's no time like the present." he said with a lascivious glint in his eyes. "And besides, if I stay in these jeans any longer I'm likely to burst out of them..." 

"Knowing what you're packing down there, I wouldn't put it past ya." Rocket sniggered. "If you're as rarin' ta go as I am, your underwear has gotta be cutting off your circulation holding that monster back." 

"Oh? Now who in the Nine Realms said I was wearing underwear?" Thor scoffed.

_God damn he's good…_

* * *

"So I thought you said we were gonna do something new." Rocket said as he pulled off Thor's old shirt and chucked it over his head so quickly it may as well have been on fire. His 6 inch torpedo was now proudly on display, eagerly pulsing with anticipation. "We've already messed around in the tub remember? I mean unless you wanna try seeing just how long I can hold my breath underwater, if ya catch my drift…" 

"Mmm, that's not exactly what I had in mind, though I certainly appreciate your creativity." Thor said jovially. "And trust me when I say that underwater sex is much more enticing in theory than in practice. I once found myself erm… _entangled_ with the nine daughters of Aegir - goddesses of the waves you know - but it was rather unwieldy. Far too much water going up every orifice and it's quite hard to enjoy what's going on when your eyes are stinging with sea salt." he said, his shirt joining Rocket's in the untidy pile. "But I'm sure I can think of some other ways to test your lung capacity though." he said, squeezing the sizable bulge in his pants before making to unzip them. Rocket however slapped his hand aside. 

"Hey, gettin' that beast outta its cage is my job pal! I'm just the right height for it after all." he said, thumping his chest. "And I definitely gotta hear the rest of that story sometime, but I think if I don't get this big guy outta here soon, you might actually explode." he mused, staring at the girthy bulge as though he were examining the troublesome part of a spaceship's engine. He weighed the heft of Thor's manhood against his palm, groping it firmly through its denim constraint. "Damn. Hard as a friggin rock aintcha?" 

"Ngh… You don't know the half of it Rabbit. It's rather painful actually…" Thor said with a wince. 

"Then I guess I better hurry up and do my 'job' then, huh?" Rocket said, his lips curling into a confident grin. He tugged the zipper down and hooked his thumbs under the waistline of Thor's pants, eagerly yanking them down to finally be rid of the obstruction blocking him from his prize. Perhaps he was a bit too hasty though, since Thor's hefty tool sprang from his trousers and bludgeoned Rocket in the nose with the force of a billy club. 

"Whoops! Sorry about that!" Thor said, clearly trying his hardest not to burst out laughing. 

"Oof! Geez, gimme a warning next time will ya?" Rocket said as he recovered from being momentarily dazed, ruefully rubbing at his nose. "That's a good way ta give a guy a black eye!" 

"Well I _did_ say that I wasn't wearing underwear didn't I? I would think that was warning enough." Thor snickered, kicking off his jeans. The Asgardian's magnificent 8 and a half inch behemoth hung between his legs at full mast, gently bouncing in rhythm with his rapidly beating heart. A steady stream of clear fluid oozed from the fat head onto the stone floor, making Rocket's mouth water just as much as his eyes were from the impromptu clobbering he received. The big man couldn't help but give a wry smile as he watched the pilot's eyes follow his throbbing manhood like a charmed snake. 

"I was thinking it would be enjoyable to spend our last evening together in the steam room." Thor said, nodding over to one of the large wooden doors behind the baths that they hadn't been inside yet. "Not only does it do wonders for the body, but it makes for a remarkably sensual place to fool around in - that is if you can hold out for the five seconds it takes to make it to the other side of the room, Rabbit." Thor smirked, arching his brow suggestively. 

"Heh, I think I'll be able to manage..." Rocket said, but not before leaning forward and opening his mouth to let the strand of precum pool onto his tongue, gulping it down greedily. He gently teased the purple head with a brief flick of his tongue, the man giving a sharp, pleasured gasp as the bead of sweet nectar dangling from the tip was lapped off. "Well, whaddya waiting for Blondie?" Rocket said as he wiped off his mouth with his forearm, the very picture of smug satisfaction. "You gunna write me an invitation or lead the way?" 

Thor didn't need to be told twice. He pulled the door open, a thick cloud of balmy steam billowing out as Rocket entered the spacious sauna, the deep, heady scents of sandalwood and pine filling his nostrils. A blanket of damp heat bore down on him, his muscles feeling pleasantly relaxed as he took a look around. Inside, two tiers of gleaming wooden benches surrounded a large heater with intricate runic details carved into the polished stone surface. Behind it sat a mosaic of perfectly cut bricks of Himalayan salt, the gentle light streaming from behind them filling the room with a warm, ochre glow. 

The room appeared to have been well stocked with a variety of items to make the experience as pleasant as possible. A large wooden cart on the side of the heater had been loaded up with a variety of oils, tinctures, and bundles of miscellaneous herbs in clay canisters. There was a small handle between the wooden panels lining the wall behind it, which Thor pulled to reveal a cleverly concealed miniature ice box that appeared to be kept cool using the same Asgardian tech as the one in the kitchen. He grabbed two bottles of water from it, passing one over to Rocket. 

"It's important to stay hydrated in here you know, especially when you plan on staying for a long while." Thor said with a wink, tossing his head back and taking a sip with a loud sigh of refreshment. Rocket followed suit, the contrast of the ice-cold water to the sweltering heat of the sauna making his skin prickle. 

He hopped up onto the lower tier of the wooden seats, closing his eyes for just a moment as he took a slow, controlled breath. Thor was right about it being a different experience from the baths, which were relaxing in a way that Rocket had come to enjoy. But here it felt as though the heat had seeped into every single pore on his body, the bewitching scent of the fragrant steam making his head swim with an almost drunken sense of contentment. There was something undeniably erotic about the setting - and that was without a firm Asgardian rump only a few feet away as Thor bent over to pour herbal water over the stones on the heater.

A burst of steam hissed from it, the seductive haze of the sauna growing even thicker, heavy with the scent of lavender. The big man walked over to the bench with a satisfied grin at the sight of his lover eyeing him so intently, without so much as a hint of the shame or embarrassment that plagued him when he first arrived. Although he couldn't deny that Rocket was certainly cute when he was bashful, there was something about the way the pilot looked at him with such wanton longing that made his manhood throb, glad to have been freed from its tight prison. 

"Enjoying the show, are we?" Thor chuckled as he sat down next to his lover, his body already slick with sweat. There was nothing coy to his posture, his legs spread wide with his rigid tool standing tall and proud against his thick gut. He leaned his arm against the upper row of benches, the provocative smile on his face an open invitation for the ornery little engineer. "Perhaps I aught to charge a fee next time."

"What can I say? It ain't every day I get ta see the God of Thunder's glorious ass up in my face like that. I gotta enjoy it while I still can." Rocket murmured. He stood on the bench so he could be eye-level with Thor, a look of salacious need glinting in the raccoon's dark eyes. "But I think it's high time you get that ass over here and gimme some sugar handsome…" he said pulling the man in close, his tongue entering Thor's mouth with a lusty growl, plunging it inside to explore every corner of it with wild abandon. This was _his_ mouth now. He owned it completely and utterly, if at least just for one more precious night. And Thor was more than happy to give it to him without complaint. After all, knowing when to submit was the mark of a true king. 

Rocket breathed in Thor's scent like a man possessed, pressing his nose between the crook of his muscles to get at it where it was the most potent. Before, he had drank it in as though he were an explorer eager to catalogue a new, unfamiliar land. But now he had a single minded purpose which he pursued doggedly: to commit every aspect of Thor to memory. How he smelled, the taste of his sweat-drenched flesh against his tongue, the way that he would gasp and growl as he ministered to the most sensitive spots across the Asgardian's powerful body. He would memorize it all if it was the last thing he ever did. It was the only way he would be able to leave tomorrow, to face the lonely nights in space without Thor there with him. But all of that may as well have been light-years away. For now, he had a job to do, and he intended to do it well. 

Thor was more than happy to let the pilot go about his task as the pair groped at each other in a carnal fog. He flexed his glistening muscles, snorting like a bull as Rocket tweaked the tips of his nipples, the raccoon fluctuating between gentle, feather-like strokes and sharp tugs as though he were attempting to coax milk out. The way Rocket was licking and suckling at the tender nubs, Thor almost began to think he just might be successful, swirling the swollen peaks between his tongue and lightly chomping at them with his teeth. It was amazing how after only one prior encounter, Rocket knew all of the right buttons to push to make Thor putty in his deft hands. But then again, he had always known the handsome little brute to be a quick learner. 

That being said, Thor wasn't about to surrender control to him entirely - not this time at least. He had spent centuries building up an arsenal of tricks to use when things got hot and heavy, and he was eager to show Rocket that he was no slouch when it came to pleasing a man. He grabbed the pilot firmly by the shoulders and laid him against the bench, the comfortable warmth of the wood soaking into his back. Any question Rocket might have had about what Thor was doing was effectively silenced as Thor kissed him soundly. The message communicated with only the feverish thrashing of his tongue was loud and clear: He was in expert hands, so he should just sit back and enjoy what was coming to him.

Thor pulled back to sit cross-legged, a devilish grin on his face as he leaned over to grab a small bottle from the cart. He poured a generous amount of slick amber oil from it onto his palm, rubbing his hands together briskly to warm it. He gently grabbed Rocket's legs, resting them in his lap as he began to massage his feet with steady, confident strokes. Rocket gave a soft gasp of surprise as the man pressed his knuckles firmly against the calloused soles of his feet in a broad, circular motion, ministering to the years of built-up pressure that had accumulated there. He moved up to his arches, squeezing the usual pressure points with his oil soaked thumbs, using the raccoon's moans as a guide to see if he was on the right track. 

"You've been keeping a great deal of tension here, Rabbit." Thor tutted playfully. "It's hardly any wonder you're often so grumpy…" he said as he flexed Rocket's foot, swiftly working out any tightness he discovered with the diligence of a soldier. 

"Ngh… I'm grumpy because I'm surrounded by idiots most of the time. Plus my feet are too small for those electric massage chair things they got in malls…" Rocket grunted, giving a sharp exhale as a spot he had no idea was quite so sore was skillfully attacked by Thor. 

"Oh? When did you go to an Earth shopping mall?" The Asgardian asked casually, getting his large fingers between Rocket's delicate toes. 

"T-they got em on other planets too ya know. It's just one of those… Mmmf… universal constants I was telling ya about…" he panted, completely entranced by Thor's deft hands. "Ah! Hooooly shit, r-right there man!! Yeaaaah, that's what I'm talkin' about..." he said, practically melting into the wood beneath him. 

"Oh? Well I can't say that we had any need for such machines on Asgard. We had master healers who would tend to our aches after battle. It made it rather easy to pick up a few pointers over the years. You'd be surprised at how often it comes in handy..." Thor said, switching to the other foot for a while before tending to the corded muscles in his calves, making his way up Rocket's legs with deliberate and practiced slowness. The raccoon's fat cock was only inches from his reach, twitching and bobbing alluringly at even the slightest graze of Thor's fingers. He would get to it in due time, but for now he was in no hurry. He knew that even though he was too stubborn to admit it, Rocket could use a proper bit of pampering, and Thor was only too eager to provide it for him. 

The big man worked his way to Rocket's thighs, kneading at them in gentle circles. By now he had the engineer purring like a housecat, utterly transfixed by all of the sensations overtaking him. Thor's hands raked through the fur on his legs, trailing up to his sides and back down again, sending spidery little pinpricks of electricity racing through his muscles. There were no superpowers involved though - Rocket had come to learn that the Asgardian didn't need them. His touch alone was sensual enough to send jolts of pleasure arcing through his body, sparking like static with every stroke. The man was playing him like a virtuoso, and Rocket was more than happy to be an instrument of the gods. 

He could feel warm bursts of breath from Thor's nose against his cock, opening his eyes to see the man's face hovering only inches away from it. He was like a starving predator moments before it pounced on his prey, drinking in Rocket's animal musk with savage gusto. The last of his self control spent, Thor finally let the berserker's trance of lust overtake him. He planted his nose at the base of Rocket's cock and took a long whiff, as though the scent of his testosterone was the sweetest high he could ever experience.

There was nothing left in his mind but pure bestial instinct now, and all it wanted was to stuff Rocket's manhood into his hungry gullet. He dove onto it, all six inches disappearing into his mouth with relative ease as he let out a contented growl of satisfaction. His tongue wrapped around the precum soaked shaft, lapping it up as he bobbed his head down on it in a steady rhythm. He fondled Rocket's balls, gently squeezing them as though hoping to tease out more of the sweet syrup he had developed such an appetite for. His nose was quickly buried in the bushy fur of Rocket's crotch, the mushroom head fully submerged in his throat. 

It was hard to believe this was the first time Thor had sucked him off, considering just how damn skilled he was at it. The heat of the man's mouth on his cock put the warmth of the steam room to shame. The metal bead at the end of the braid in Thor's beard brushed up against the raccoon's balls, the cold metal sending shivers down Rocket's spine every time it made contact. He grunted and snorted like a hungry bear savoring his meal, gently suckling on the sensative head with practiced ease. 

Rocket was practically seeing stars, taking slow controlled breaths through his nostrils to keep himself focused. He had to make sure he paced himself, even with Thor trying his damndest to get him off like he was. Still, it was clear from the way he was going at it that Thor had been looking forward to getting a taste of his cock for a good long while, patiently waiting for the time when he could feast on it properly. It wasn't just Rocket who had been hungry to please his lover, nor was Thor just looking for somebody to get his rocks off and call it a day, and knowing how badly the Asgardian wanted him like this gave him butterflies in his stomach. Well, that and the way the guy was coiling his tongue around his meat… 

If Thor was so eager for a cock down his throat though, Rocket was going to make the most of it. He gripped him firmly by the back of the head, letting the blonde tresses fall through his fingers as he guided the man's rhythm. There was something about the way Thor sucked him off while looking up at him with his big eager puppy-dog eyes that made Rocket want to really put him through his paces and see what he was capable of, just like he had during their cooking lesson earlier. He was rough but not brutal, heaping praise on him as his furry balls were rammed up against Thor's hairy chin. 

"Awhhh yeah all the way down… Atta boy…" Rocket cooed as he held Thor steady at the base of his cock, the man's nostrils flaring as he adjusted to breathing with the raccoon's spit slicked tool stuffed down his throat. "Looks like I ain't much of a challenge for ya there Blondie. You musta gotten a lotta practice getting big Asgardian dicks shoved inside that handsome mouth of yours huh?" He teased, letting Thor come back up for air, strings of spit and precum clinging to his mustache. 

Thor merely grunted in response to the cheeky barb, so focused on his duty that he simply didn't have time for it. Plus having a dick as thick as a beer can crammed in one's mouth made it a bit difficult to talk, as one might expect. A rumbling moan echoed from his throat, sending tingling vibrations down the shaft of Rocket's rod and across his body. His legs were starting to tremble, wrapping them over Thor's strong shoulders as sunbursts of color popped in front of his eyes. The pilot was far from a virgin, but even so, he had never felt anything like this before. But then again, most of the guys he had one night stands with probably didn't have a few hundred years of experience under their belts. 

Thor finally released Rocket's cock from between his lips with an exaggerated pop, bringing his furry little beau back down to Earth for a moment. He was about to ask why the Asgardian had stopped when he was abruptly hoisted off the bench and into the air. He found himself flipped upside down, arms dangling beneath him as Thor stood up, his strong hands firmly gripping Rocket's sides to keep him upright. And just like that he found himself eye-level with Thor's "Midgard Serpent", rock hard and in dire need of attention. 

"Guh… you're just… fulla surprises aintcha?" Rocket stammered, his eyes following the trajectory of the big blonde beast as it wagged temptingly in front of his nose. Well, he wasn't about to turn down the generous offering before him. He grabbed hold of Thor's hips, bracing himself against them as he opened his mouth wide, tonguing the swollen head. Thor slowly lowered him down the length of the shaft, his own tongue busy licking an eager trail from Rocket's manhood to his taint, stopping in between to lap at his balls. With his herculean strength he was able to pump the engineer up and down with ease, his mammoth tool hitting the back of his throat before being pulled back up for a gulp of air. 

Rocket had never done anything quite so… acrobatic as this before. Being at the mercy of Thor's immense power wasn't even something he knew he wanted before this, but the way the man fucked his throat in a steady rhythm made him feel like he was starring in a particularly raunchy porn flick. He had to take care with his teeth at this angle, but he was more than up for the challenge if it meant getting Thor's girthy ramrod back in his mouth. He moaned as the salty flesh touched his tongue, hungry for every time he was lowered back down in their lewd 'workout routine'. He kept a firm grip around the Asgardian's muscular gut, eager to put his gag reflex to the test.

He was about to get more than he bargained for however when he suddenly felt Thor's tongue against his asshole, giving a little yelp of surprise around the cock filling his windpipe. Thor swirled it around the tight rosebud, gently teasing Rocket's tender pucker with the tip. It had been ages since he had gotten his ass eaten, and the way the man's bushy mustache brushed and prickled against his sensitive flesh was enough to make him whimper. Without warning, Thor's tongue punched its way past Rocket's sphincter, lapping at his hole like a ravenous beast. He plunged it inside, focusing his efforts on getting the hairy furrow slick with spit. 

Unfortunately, the attention he was giving to Rocket's ass made Thor completely forget about pulling him back up from the base of his cock. The pilot's eyes began to water, both the sensations of the man French-kissing his hole and the sudden lack of air in his lungs becoming overwhelming. He let out a loud choking "Ghk!!" and sharply slapped Thor's thigh repeatedly to get him to notice. The warrior gasped, quickly pulling Rocket's mouth from being impaled on his cock as he coughed and sputtered. 

"Rocket! Are you alright?" Thor said, sitting down on the bench and placing the raccoon in his lap. He looked positively mortified. "I'm so sorry about that! I didn't mean to get quite so _enthusiastic_ there…" he said sheepishly, letting the smaller man breathe. 

"Y-Yeah… I'm just peachy big guy..." Rocket said, wiping the spit from his chin and taking a deep breath. "Who knew you were such a serious 'ass-guardian' eh?" he smirked as Thor gave him a withering look in response. "Okay okay, I know that one was bad. Sue me." he said, leaning his head against Thor's sweat soaked chest as he stroked the raccoon's back apologetically. "So, uh, I gotta ask ya…" he said, locking eyes with Thor. "Were you planning on, you know… getting my ass ready for something there?" 

"I would be lying if I said that I didn't want to…" Thor said. There was an odd combination of excitement and reluctance mingling in his eyes. "I don't want to do anything that might hurt you, Rabbit, but the choice is yours to make." he said, gently stroking Rocket's tail. "What do you think? Am I something you can handle?" 

Rocket paused to think for a moment. Despite his earlier teasing, Thor probably was the biggest guy he had ever been with. "Honestly? I have no idea. Your dick is almost as big as my forearm dude…" he shrugged. "But I at least wanna give it a shot. I'd be kicking myself if I went back up into space without even trying to see if I can take ya." he said, giving a slightly nervous titter. "Just uh, make sure ya take it easy on me okay? You get carried away again and our last night together is gonna be spent taking me to the hospital, and you're gonna hafta be the one to explain why you're bringing in a raccoon with a busted asshole. Got it?" 

"I suppose that's fair enough… " Thor muttered, still looking apprehensive. Much as he appreciated the difference in their sizes, this was the first time he would be having sex with a man as diminutive as Rocket. Given just how well endowed Thor was, the engineer's concerns were not entirely unfounded. "Just promise me that you won't, ahem, bite off more than you can chew, so to speak. Be honest with me about what you need, even if it's to stop, alright? I won't have you getting injured on my account should this prove to be a fool's errand." 

"Hey, just cause you've got big honkin' dick doesn't mean it's my first time, ya know." Rocket said, cocking his eyebrow. "I get that you're pretty hung, but it ain't like you're gonna be shoving an Infinity Gauntlet up my ass." he chuckled. "But you got yourself a deal, Blondie." He said, snatching up the discarded bottle of massage oil and passing it to Thor. "If ya want me ta have a fighting chance though, you better make sure you're not stingy with the lube, capiche?" 

Rocket's gung-ho attitude seemed to dispel Thor's nerves. He grabbed the bottle from him and drizzled the viscous liquid over his fingers, hovering them close to Rocket's spit-soaked hole while gently gripping the base of his tail with his other hand. "Well, I suppose this would hardly be the first time I've witnessed you performing a remarkable feat…" he said, the warmth of his smile reminding the raccoon just how badly, and for how long he had wanted Thor like this. 

"Hey, what can I say? I'm a guy who likes a good challenge…" Rocket purred, leaning his head up to meet Thor's lips. That was all the approval the Asgardian needed to slowly push his finger up Rocket's hole as their tongues danced against each other in heated competition. He grunted into Thor's mouth, arching his back as he felt it sink inside to the knuckle. A second soon followed it, coaxing another loud moan from the raccoon as he pushed his rump further back onto the invading digits. Thor pumped them inside, deep and leisurely, making sure every inch of his chute was glazed in the slick liquid. If the Asgardian was going to give Rocket the ride of his life, he would ensure he was well prepared for it. 

After a few minutes of working him over, Thor pulled his fingers from the pilot's rear trench and laid himself down flat against the warm wooden slats. His impressive manhood stood stiff in the air, the proud banner of Asgard eager to be planted in Rocket's fertile ground. True to his lover's request, he wasn't frugal with the lubricant, covering his tool in an ample coating of oil. It glistened invitingly in the low orange light of the sauna as the big man placed his arms behind his head. Thor would let Rocket take the lead, ready and willing to take any command his captain gave to him. 

Rocket had come to learn over the years that the secret to taking any particularly girthy cock was proper breathing. It gave him something to focus on while the initial discomfort subsided and he could fall into a steady rhythm. Thor however might just have been big enough to make his focusing exercises useless. He could feel the slick head pressed up against the base of his tail, eager to embed itself inside as he sat against the Asgardian's stomach. 

_C'mon… Nice and easy now. You got this…_

Brushing aside the last lingering bit of reluctance, he pushed himself down onto Thor's manhood. It slipped in him with an oily pop, the smaller man shuddering as he let out a loud grunt. Rocket sucked in a sharp intake of breath through his nostrils, bracing himself as he began slowly letting more of it inside. It was all he could do to take things slowly, his hole stretching to accommodate the girthy intruder. But the tight ring of muscle suddenly gave way, several inches forcing their way inside faster than Rocket was anticipating. He jerked forward in shock as he winced from the impact. 

Thor quickly made to pull out, but before he could, he felt the raccoon's hand slam hard against his chest. Rocket's eyes were wrenched shut, his shoulders hunched in barely concealed pain, but he still didn't move. "K-keep it in…" he snarled through gritted teeth. "You ain't gonna break me…" He muttered as he struggled to keep himself upright, legs trembling in their fight against gravity. But he was still unyielding in his efforts to take every last inch of the man, even as he braced himself against the bigger man's muscular body with unsteady arms.

It was then that Thor realized the meaning behind his partner's words: They were just as much a challenge as they were a reassurance. Just as he had trusted Rocket to take him the night before, he would have to trust that the raccoon knew what he was doing this time as well. So Thor resolved to simply lie there patiently, not moving or even so much as touching Rocket as he sat half impaled on the Asgardian's pike. He would give him all the time he needed to get his bearings - to explore the sensation of having someone as big as Thor in him and set whatever pace he needed for it to feel good. If he was so eager to prove himself a true warrior in bed, he would not deny him a proper chance to test his mettle. 

With a great deal of growling, grunting, and so much swearing that even Thor was beginning to blush, Rocket's furry rump finally touched down against the base of the big blonde tool stuffed between his cheeks. His face was screwed up tight, gnashing his teeth as he strained to adjust to being breeched far deeper than he ever had before. After what felt like an eternity, his breathing finally began to steady, his taut muscles relaxing as his body began to accommodate Thor's manhood. What began as discomfort soon melted away into a warm, contented feeling of fullness that made his back arch pleasurably. Despite how difficult it had been to even get this far, it wasn't long before he found himself wanting more. 

"Haa… See? I toldja I could do it." Rocket said, sounding almost as surprised as Thor was that he had managed to accomplish such a feat. He let out an exhilarated laugh, similar to somebody who had finally made it to the peak of Mount Everest after a harrowing journey. "Just… just needed a bit, that's all." he gasped, shifting to let the thick shaft settle completely inside of him. The feeling of it throb was giving the pilot a bit of a lewd thrill, his own tool almost painfully hard as it pulsed in tandem with his rapidly beating heart. "So… whaddya say we get this show on the road then huh big guy?" Rocket said, offering the man a conciliatory smile as he slowly began grinding against Thor's cock. 

Despite the return of Rocket's bravado, Thor was careful to start off slowly, rocking his furry lover in his lap as he gently bucked his hips. Over the centuries he had done just about everything an inventive mind could think to do in bed (as well as in a few other particularly salacious locations - the table in Asgard's mead hall had been one of his favorites both for its sturdiness and the occasional cheering crowd it provided), but in all that time he had never experienced anything that felt remotely similar to having sex with Rocket. His ass was the tightest he had ever been in. The furry pucker kept a vice-like grip around Thor's substantial tool, sucking at it with more need than any other had before.

It was taking every ounce of his restraint not to go buck-wild on Rocket's tight chute. The man's cheeks grew hot, every slow, measured thrust into the pilot making his head swim. He tossed his head back on the bench, biting down on his bottom lip hard as he fought to prevent himself from letting out little mewling cries. The warm heat from Rocket's hole was getting him dangerously close to the edge, but he couldn't let it end just yet. Not when he was finally able to put such a look of pure unadulterated satisfaction on Rocket's face.

He pulled him off for a brief moment, sitting up on the bench as he reached over to grab the nearby bottle of water. He chugged from it like a man who had been wandering the desert for days, water spilling out from the sides of his mouth and trickling down his beard and onto his broad barrel chest. He finished with a loud gasp, his stamina newly replenished. He picked up Rocket and slowly skewered him back into his lap reverse cowboy style until his balls were firmly nestled back against the base of the raccoon's tail again. 

Rocket had to admit he enjoyed this position much better. There was something about feeling the big man's sweat-drenched heft behind him that was sending his senses into overdrive. Here he was with this beautiful giant of a man inside of him, Thor grunting like a brute as he guided him up and down his manhood at an increasingly frantic pace. Rocket was only too eager to push his rear back against the engorged tool, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he relished the simple, raw delight of getting thoroughly pounded by the God of thunder. It was pure, carnal luxury at its finest, and Rocket was going to savor every last inch of it. 

"Gnngh… Fuck yeah Blondie!! Gimme everything you've got ya big lug!" Rocket bellowed, though it was soon punctuated by a sharp "Yeep!" of surprise as Thor lifted him to the very tip of his cock before slamming the full length of it back inside him with one swift stroke that rattled the pilot's entire body. 

"Mmmf! Be careful what you wish for Rabbit! You just might end up GETTING it!!" Thor howled, punctuating his words with another powerful thrust that made the raccoon squeal. 

"Do you… hear me… complaining?" Rocket snarled, the sound of his rump clapping against Thor's thighs becoming faster and faster. "Haa… I told ya I was made of… Nmmf… tougher stuff than that…"

"I should know better… than to doubt you by now." Thor moaned into Rocket's ear. He hooked his forearms under the pilot's knees, his legs dangling in the air as he pulled him into a Full Nelson position. He rammed his cock up the furry little bastard's tunnel, pounding into him with vicious, unrelenting speed. 

Rocket had no idea how long they remained at such a swift pace. It could have been anywhere between mere moments or the better part of an hour. All sense of time was lost in a sensual haze as he was fucked within an inch of his life. He could feel his load roiling in his balls, eager for the release they had long been waiting for. His entire body trembled as he was brought to climax without so much as touching himself. 

"T-THOR!!" he yelped, pressing himself back against the massive god, feeling one final shudder of pleasure sweep through him before he let loose with a guttural roar that filled the entirety of the sauna. A jet of his load blasted out with such force that it spattered against the sauna heater, fizzling on the hot stones. His cock bounced with Thor's continued thrusts, pegging himself with a shot to his cheek while another splashed against Thor's chest. He lay limp against the Asgardian, patches of his fur glazed with his seed. 

There was no way Thor could hold back any longer after such an impressive sight. He released his grip on Rocket's legs, clutching the smaller man's body close to his own as he made one last, exhausted thrust. "Oh gods!! Rab… Anngh!! Rocket!!" He cried out, his voice cracking as he reached the pinnacle of intensity before careening right over the edge. His manhood finally erupted inside Rocket, unleashing a volley of hot, creamy spunk into his lover's well-used hole. He continued to buck weakly into him, thick globules of cum spurting out and clinging to Rocket's tail as he continued to fill him up. By the time he was finished, both men had been reduced to nothing more than trembling piles of utterly knackered but still perfectly satisfied flesh, so drenched with sweat that they may as well have just returned from a swim. 

The funny thing about a good climax is how quickly it snapped one's mind back to reality as soon as all the panting stopped and the giddy sense of slap-happy elation wore off. Rocket suddenly became distinctly aware of just how incredibly hot it had gotten inside the sauna, his breath coming in hurried gulps. Much as he would have liked to bask in the glory of what they had just done together, if he didn't get out soon he felt as though he would pass out. 

He hopped off of Thor's lap, his knees buckling underneath him as he tried to regain the strength that had been pounded right out of him. His legs were still shaky as he staggered over to the door, shoving it open as he collapsed onto the stone floor of the bathhouse. After spending so long in the stifling heat of the sauna, the difference in temperature felt refreshingly cool. He lay flat and unmoving on his stomach, freshly slaughtered roadkill that had just been just been mercilessly run over by a veritable truckload of rugged Asgardian beefcake. 

He was only vaguely aware of Thor prodding him, the ringing in his ears drowning out whatever the hell it was the guy was trying to ask him. He didn't resist as he was lifted into a sitting position, an ice-cold bottle of water thrust into his hand. Reflexively he drained the whole thing in one long, greedy gulp, chugging it down like someone who thought it was about to become one of the scarcest commodities in the galaxy. Now that he was properly hydrated the fog making his head spin cleared, suddenly able to make out the familiar face of the God of Thunder sitting in front of him, his eyes fraught with worry. 

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking the empty bottle from him and setting it aside. "Do you need more water? I can get you more water. What am I saying, of course you do. Here let me go get some for you." he said with a frantic edge to his voice, making to get up. Rocket was quick to stop him though. 

"Hey hey, easy big guy. I'm fine okay?" he said as though he were trying to calm a spooked horse. He attempted to give him a reassuring smile, but it probably looked more like a strained grimace. "Nothing to worry about."

"What by the name of Laufey's frozen arsehole do you mean 'nothing to worry about'? You fainted!" Thor blurted out incredulously. Rocket had to admit, he had never seen genuine fear in Thor's eyes like this before. He couldn't help but feel a hot wave of guilt wash over him knowing he was the cause of it. 

"I'm telling ya I'm fine! Cross my heart! So do me a favor and calm down will ya?" Rocket said, bracing himself against Thor's knee as he stood. "Besides, I'd like to see how YOU'D look if you just got rattled around by someone four times your size and twice as hung as the average man. How about cutting a guy some slack eh?" he chuckled. "But damn Blondie… I gotta admit, you sure don't disappoint." 

He lay his hand across the man's thigh, stroking it gently with his thumb. He wanted to say something that would let the Asgardian know just how much what they had done meant to him, but he struggled to find the right words. How the hell do you thank someone for getting you off without it sounding trite, or just plain stupid? There was more to his gratitude than just that of course, but he really didn't want to get into anything too mushy right this moment. For now, he was satisfied just saying, "It was worth the wait." 

Thankfully that seemed to be enough for Thor. He placed his hand on top of Rocket's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Well… in any case I'm glad I was able to properly give you something to remember me by…" he said softly. 

"You're telling me!" Rocket laughed. "Talk about one hell of a parting gift. I don't think I'm gonna be forgetting that anytime soon. Also don't think I'm gonna be able ta walk straight for a good month, but god _damn_ that hit the spot."

Despite feeling utterly bushed, the exhilaration of what they had just done gave him an unexpected surge of energy. The two men continued to chat about it as they made their way over to the showers, reduced to giggling uncontrollably like a couple of teenagers by the time they had properly cleaned themselves off. It would appear that Thor wasn't quite finished with the bathhouse just yet though. He grabbed one of the bottles next to the washbasin and emptied the entirety of its contents under the waterfall of the larger tub. In just a few short moments, it was full to the brim with tufts of sweet-smelling foam that were so dense, they were practically miniature snowbanks. 

Rocket gingerly dipped a toe inside before lowering himself into the cloud, almost completely lost in it as the suds tingled and fizzed pleasantly against his fur. He groaned as the hot, scented water soaked into his sore muscles, feeling particularly good against his battered rump. Thor climbed in after him, crashing into the wall of foam and sending it surging over the side of the tub. He pulled the raccoon into his lap, sighing contentedly as they both enjoyed a well-deserved soak. Rocket wasn't sure if the bath afterwards was part of the typical ritual of sex on Asgard, or if it was just a "Thor" thing, but either way he was thoroughly enjoying it. 

They sat together in the tub for a good long while, drifting off into a lazy sense of relaxation. Thor was attempting to craft a misshapen pompadour of bubbles on top of the raccoon's head with the intense focus of an artisan and the skill level of an average child. Rocket soon found himself struggling to keep his eyes open, the combination of the seductive warmth of the tub and his own pure exhaustion making him incredibly sleepy. He let out a loud yawn before vigorously shaking his head in an effort to keep himself awake, sending Thor's ill-fated creation flying off in different directions. 

"Perhaps it's time we head to bed?" Thor suggested as he examined what remained of his handiwork. "It has been a rather eventful day afterall." 

"Nah, not just yet." Rocket replied, briskly smacking at his cheeks to stop himself from dozing off. "I'm trying ta stay awake for as long as I can. When I fall asleep it means the day is over, and that means all _this_ is over and I really don't want it ta be." he muttered ruefully, blowing off a hunk of suds that had landed on his nose. "So fuck sleep dude, I gotta make this last for as long as I friggin' can."

"So now you're declaring war against the concept of slumber itself? Why am I not surprised?" Thor scoffed, wiping the last vestiges of the now ruined coif off Rocket's head. "If that's the case how can I aid you on your quest to remain in the waking realm? Perhaps there's something on your mind we could discuss that would help keep you awake?" 

"There's always somethin' on my mind. One of the perks of being a military grade overthinker I guess." he chuckled as he leaned back against the big man. "But I guess if I had to say, the number one thing on my mind is how much I'm gonna miss this. And I don't just mean the sex - though trust me, that's reason enough. I mean all of it. Sitting next to ya in front of the fire, waking up next to ya, having that pretty face of yers all to myself… It's all hard ta just walk away from, ya know?" 

"I know exactly how you feel, Sweet Rabbit." Thor sighed. "It seems so cruel that fate should bring us together like this only to give us so little time with each other. I wish we could have been afforded just a few more days." 

"I do too pal, trust me. But in the end it wouldn't have mattered how long we had." Rocket said, reaching back to hold onto Thor's stomach as he let his legs float over the foamy peaks of the bubbles. "Even if I coulda stayed here with ya for a month, it still would've felt too damn short. Time's just funny like that." 

"You think you need to explain that to me?" Thor snorted. "I've been alive for over a millennium and I've yet to find anything that lasts forever, from the sweetest spring to the harshest winter. It was a naive hope that this wouldn't end… but I admit, it was one I was eager to hold onto all the same." he said, wrapping his arms around Rocket's waist so he could float freely.

"I know… I guess it's a relief to know that even the God of Thunder can be a big dumbass just like the rest of us." Rocket said, splashing a bit of water on his face to keep himself from getting too comfortable. "Makes things sting a little bit less knowing that though. Good to know I ain't alone here." 

"Of course you aren't…" Thor said, pulling Rocket higher in his lap, pressing his weight against Rocket as he hunched over to rest his chin between his ears. "I'm going to miss you a great deal." 

A mental snapshot went off in the raccoon's head again, hoping he could keep yet another memory crystal clear in a mind that was already stuffed like an overflowing filing cabinet. It was as though he thought he could put them on a shelf like souvenirs, to be examined at will when the nights up in space without Thor became especially lonesome. It was more needlessly sentimental than Rocket usually was, but right now, it was the only thing he could think of doing. 

"Well, it ain't like we're never gonna see each other again right?" he offered. "I mean, I've got a spaceship and you've got that magical axe that lets ya teleport across the universe. We could try and figure somethin' out that works for us." he said, turning around to face Thor, in the hopes that the man would be able to see the conviction on his face. "So, ya know, We're not _totally_ screwed here." 

But as much as he wanted to believe it himself, there was still something that felt hollow about his assurances. It would be an empty promise, like making plans to keep in touch with former coworkers after leaving for a new job - well intentioned but ultimately fruitless. The average person had enough day-to-day garbage keeping them busy, and that got taken to a whole new level of chaos when you're trying to keep the galaxy from falling apart. 

He knew that both of them would inevitably be kept busy with their own personal business. None of the Guardians had any idea where to begin the search for Gamora and Nebula, and considering it was highly possible that they didn't _want_ to be found, that would make things significantly more difficult. It was going to take time to gather leads, scout for any promising interplanetary chatter, grease the sweaty palms of unsavory but well-connected underground contacts… and that was without the host of other troublesome bullshit and universe-ending catastrophes that were all but guaranteed to rear their ugly heads on the way. 

Thor would likewise be kept occupied restoring his shattered kingdom and picking up the pieces of what was left of the Avengers now that so many of their key members had been lost. And even if Rocket could find an excuse to sneak away to Earth, or Thor could ride the Bifrost to a motel on the other side of the universe, the opportunities to see one another would be few and far between. It could very well be months or even years since they would be able to see each other, and there was no telling how feasible that would be in the long-term for either man. 

As much as Rocket wanted things to work out, he couldn't help but feel that it wouldn't be fair to expect Thor to hold out for him for such a long time. Even with all the changes he had gone through over the last five years, the man was still handsome, powerful, and one hell of a charming devil - plus he was a king to boot. There was no way he wouldn't catch the eye of somebody else who could be more available for him and be able to give him a relationship that wasn't so complicated. When that happened, Rocket would just be another fleeting tryst in the Asgardian's long and storied romantic history, and the thought of that made him feel like utter shit. 

But Rocket couldn't help but have the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that Thor was just as afraid of all this as he was. It still felt incredibly weird that the big man viewed him as such a catch, and even more so that he would be worried Rocket would grow bored of him over time, but it seemed even the gods weren't immune to disappointment and heartbreak. Given that he had gotten brutally dumped after being in a long-distance relationship with Jane, maybe Rocket shouldn't have been surprised that Thor would be anxious he'd be the one left behind again. And perhaps the fact that Thor had been through all of this before was why he gave nothing more than a noncommittal, "Mmm…" in response to Rocket's assertions. 

"We just gotta try and do what we can, ya know?" Rocket muttered quietly, his ears drooping. He had been trying all evening not to let his sadness get the better of him, but it was getting more and more difficult now that his weekend fairytale was coming to an end. The harder he desperately tried to make it last longer, the faster it seemed to slip through his fingers. Time really was a bastard like that. He was going to have to face reality whether he wanted to or not, but at the very least, these last few moments were still his to enjoy, bittersweet as they were. 

"I suppose that's all we can do." Thor said, smiling wistfully as he flicked some lingering suds off Rocket's ears. Though he had come to recognize what mood the pilot was in from their current position, he at least had the good graces not to say anything about it this time. "So I'm guessing that you're not going to give in to sleep any time soon then hmm?" he asked. 

"Nah. I'm still not ready yet." Rocket replied. "Hell, I dunno if I'll ever be at this point. It's stupid, but I kinda wish we could just stay here in this tub… I dunno, I wouldn't say _forever_ because that would be ridiculous. At least until the friggin sun implodes and this miserable little rock of a planet gets blown to smithereens." he chuckled. 

Thor couldn't help but laugh hearing something so bizarrely nihilistic and yet oddly romantic. "Hah! I don't think you would like that much my friend. You'd wind up horribly pruney." he said as he examined the wrinkled skin on his own fingers. "Assuming you can underneath all of that fur anyway." he winked at Rocket. "In any case, if you'd like we could stay up and watch television for a bit. Past 11 o'clock that channel stops showing milquetoast romance movies and begins showing the program we were watching earlier." 

"Heh, you got yourself a deal Blondie." he said, both of them getting out of the tub to towel themselves off. "Geez you're getting me all worked up about an old Earth TV show. Now I know how Quill feels…" 

The two men made their way to Thor's bedroom, Rocket nestled snugly against the Asgardian as they watched the continued antics of the plucky mature heroine as she solved increasingly ludicrous murders - all while trying to finish her next mystery novel before her deadline. There were a couple of particularly gripping episodes, his new favorite being one about an eccentric millionaire leaving his entire fortune to his pet ferret only to have it somehow be implicated in the deaths of three of his conniving family members. But sometime between the submarine murder mystery and the case of the body in the laundry hamper, despite how hard he had resisted, Rocket found himself fast asleep. 

* * *

There were two things that Rocket noticed when he finally awoke the next morning in a groggy stupor. The first was that the storm was back in full force, the grey sky barely visible through the thick curtains of rain hammering against the window. The second was that there was the distinct lack of a certain big blonde Asgardian in the bed with him, or anywhere in the room at all. The lack of waking up next to Thor's warmth was enough to put him in a sour mood, but so was the fact that the morning had managed to come whether he wanted it to or not. 

He wasn't quite sure when Quill and the rest of the Guardians would show up to get him today. For all he knew, they were already here, and he felt a pang of dread surge in his stomach at the thought of seeing that green light blinking on his communicator again. He supposed it would probably be a good idea to hurry up and get dressed so his crew didn't come to get him while he was buck naked though, so he went off to grab his clothes and see where Thor had gone off to. 

But Thor wasn't waiting for him on the couch in the living room, and all of the lamps were dark. He quickly peeked into the kitchen to see if perhaps he was getting a bite to eat, but he wasn't there either. Rocket's curiosity soon turned into concern as he checked the bathroom, even going so far to see if Thor was inside the steam room again, but he was nowhere to be found. Unless there was some hidden room in the cabin he wasn't aware of, he had no idea where the guy could have gotten off to. By all means, it appeared that he was gone. 

"What the hell? Did that lunkhead go out ta get somethin'?" he wondered aloud as he made his way back to the living room. A quick glance at the large table revealed that Stormbreaker was right where Thor had left it after his trip to the store to grab towels. Maybe he had gone off into town for something and didn't want to wake Rocket up with the sound of him teleporting there? It seemed like a pretty stupid thing to do considering how bad the weather was outside - especially when he had learned that Thor was the one involuntarily causing it - but he couldn't think of anything else. 

"He coulda at least left a note…" Rocket grumbled as he pulled his clean clothes on for the first time in days. He grabbed the rest of his things and stuffed them haphazardly into his finally dried bag, making a mental note to seal up the hole that caused him so much damn trouble when he got back on the ship. He paused briefly as he grabbed the t-shirt Thor had given him to wear, having grabbed it earlier from the pile of clothes they had left in the bathroom the night before. 

"Maybe I oughta leave it." he mused, gently fingering the faded lettering on the front. "Gimme somethin' ta wear next time I'm back in town..." The thought that he might be able to come back any time he wanted to spend the night with Thor again gave him the smallest flicker of hope in his chest. Then again, if that wasn't possible for one reason or another, he'd have nothing to remember his time with the big loveable goof besides his memories, and Rocket was pretty sure he wouldn't appreciate him taking his axe as a souvenir. He carefully folded the shirt up with a sigh, tucking it away where it wouldn't get damaged and hoping that Thor's smell wouldn't fade from it. 

Thankfully he didn't notice any messages waiting for him on his communicator as he strapped it on his arm, so at least he didn't have to worry about rushing out just yet. He could have easily used it to check in with the Guardians and get an idea of when they would get here, but there was a part of him that just didn't want to know. They would get here when they got here, and hopefully after Thor returned from wherever the hell it was he decided to go. But for now, the only thing he could think to do was pull on his boots, sit on the couch, and wait. 

It was funny how getting ready to leave a place that felt so warm and inviting yesterday made it feel gloomy and empty today, all of his memories of it suddenly so painfully nostalgic that it was getting depressing. The room was dark and cold without any of the fires lit, the cabin slowly creaking in the wind of the storm as the steady beat of the rain drummed against the roof. It was all making Rocket's fur stand up on edge in a way that was far from comfortable, and his tail twitched at every rumble of thunder in the distance. 

If he thought about it, he knew that it was never just this place that made his time here so incredible. A hot bath and a warm bed were nice, but it was the fact that he got to share it all with Thor that had made it all worthwhile. He had been trying to put off saying goodbye to him for as long as he could, but suddenly he was terrified that he wouldn't get the chance to at all. Even though they had both made their feelings about each other clear during their time together, he just couldn't let it end like that. He would wait for him to come back no matter how long it took, even if the rest of the Guardians had to sit here awkwardly in the dark along with him. They could do that much for him at the very least. 

Before he could think any further on it, the sound of a loud, splintering crash that was neither thunder nor the landing of the Benatar came from outside the house. A second soon followed even louder than the first, making Rocket leap to his feet and race over to the window. He could tell the sound was close, but with so much rain clouding the glass he couldn't he couldn't make out what was going on out there, only formless grey shapes visible against the shoreline. 

He listened for any more noise, but none came aside from the sounds of the wind and the surging of the waves outside. It would have been easy for him to disregard it, to dismiss it as nothing more than the sound of a tree that had fallen, or rocks that had broken off the cliffside into the sea, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was more to it than that. He glanced over at his belongings over by the fireplace and every muscle in his body screamed in protest at what he was about to do, but he refused to give it a second thought. And with that he put on his coat and made his way out into the storm. 

Cold water stung his face as he stepped out onto the porch, instantly reminding him how much he hated the rain. The ground outside the cabin had become an absolute quagmire - even more so than the day he had made his way through the muck to visit Thor - but he could still make out a set of footprints made by a heavy pair of boots heading westward toward the cliffs. Even outside it was nearly impossible to see anything through the rain, though a blurry shape far off in the distance managed to catch his attention. He squinted hard, and his heart skipped a beat as the fuzzy outline came into sharper focus: It was Thor, standing at the edge of the cliff and staring down into the deep ravine below him.

A shockwave of panic made his blood run cold at the sight. He ran to the far end of the porch, cupping his hands to his mouth as he shouted out to him as loudly as he could, desperate to catch his attention over the noise of the deluge, but it was no use. Thor just stood there motionless, making no indication that he had heard his shouts. Rocket wavered at the edge of the porch uselessly for a moment, unsure of what he should do. If he had a blaster he could try firing a shot to get his attention, but in lieu of that, it seemed that he only had one choice…

"SHIT!" 

Rocket howled in frustration as he stepped off the porch and into the mire beneath him. His boot instantly sank past his ankle into the squelchy ground, almost losing it as he tugged it out with some effort. Mud soaked his trousers as he broke into an awkward run, every step threatening to send him skidding off in the wrong direction. Just when he thought he had found his footing, he tripped over a sinkhole that gave way from under him, sending him sprawling face down into the morass with an unpleasantly wet slap.

A torrent of expletives poured from his mouth with furious gusto, a few so obscene that Rocket would have found himself banned from several planets had anybody been around to hear them. He pushed himself up with a snarl, at this point too agitated to care that he was completely covered in filth. With a great deal of slipping and stumbling, he finally stomped his way over to Thor, looking utterly enraged. 

"HEY!! What the HELL do you think you're doing, dumbass??!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, though at this point the volume of the rain had nothing to do with it. 

Thor was completely drenched too at this point. The sweatshirt he was wearing clung to his large frame, draping under his arms in thick, soggy bunches. His hair hung limp in front of his eyes giving him the appearance of a wet and rather ratty sheepdog. He didn't show any sign of surprise at the raccoon's shouting though, continuing to stare down into the ravine with a countenance. 

"Why did you come out here Rocket?" he asked blankly, his deep voice husky. 

"Why did I come here?? Oh gee, let's think about that one for a sec!!" Rocket fumed. "I came here because I woke up to an empty house in the middle of another one of your goddamn depression-storms! Then I hear some big friggin' crash only to see you standing out here on a ledge, so you better believe I came out here like a big stupid moron!! Now you better explain what the hell is going on!!" he yelled as he stamped his foot, sending more mud splattering up the side of his coat. 

Thor didn't reply however, only silently nodding at what he was looking at over the side of the cliff. Though he was still steaming, Rocket couldn't help but peek over the edge. At the bottom of the gorge lay the shattered remains of two of the massive ale barrels that had sat in the kitchen, their amber contents bleeding out onto the rocks beneath them. Rocket hadn't even noticed they were missing when he looked into the kitchen this morning, but it looked as though Thor had used his massive strength to carry them out here and pitch them over the edge. 

"Huh…? I don't…" Rocket muttered as he tried to process what was going on. It had been extremely good ale, one of the best Rocket had ever tasted actually. He looked up at the Asgardian, utterly perplexed. Sensing that he couldn't get out of giving him an explanation, Thor finally spoke. 

"I told you that on Asgard we say 'when something is good, you take it', but I wonder if perhaps I took a bit too much of a good thing this time..." He said looking down at Rocket with a resigned sense of sadness. "I was so eager to drink in our mutual affection for each other as a substitute for drinking myself into a nightly stupor. It was a welcome distraction that I sorely needed and that you willingly provided, and it was all far better than I ever could have hoped for." he said, the corners of his lips twitching into a rueful smile. "It was… _nice_ to have someone who could offer a fleeting escape from all the things that had been weighing on my heart. You've no idea how getting to be with you like this was a balm to me, and all I wanted was to just enjoy the time we had together while we still could. That way when the time came for you to leave, I would be able to carry those feelings of warmth with me as a bastion against the dark thoughts that would inevitably rear their ugly heads again."

"But the truth of the matter is that now, I find the prospect of being alone with myself again to be terrifying." he sighed, brushing a wet lock of hair out of his face. "I woke this morning and it all finally hit me as if I had been struck over the head with my own hammer. And that was all it took to make the urge to drink again begin to creep into my mind, along with every manner of terrible thought that I could possibly think of to justify it to myself." he said bitterly. "That I had done my duty to the Nine Realms by correcting my failure from years ago, so I had earned the right to indulge in my sorrow as some form of twisted reward. That the people of Asgard had gotten on fine without a worthless king, and nobody would care if I vanished into obscurity once again. And the truly frightening part was that in spite of everything I had begun to come to terms with about myself recently, they were all tempting thoughts that I was willing to latch on to."

Thor waved to the splintered remains of the ale barrels as though they were the body of an enemy that he had tossed down there. "I actually got close, you know. I thought that if I could drink just enough to get suitably buzzed, that I would be able to keep up a cheery facade until you departed. That way you wouldn't have to worry about me." he said, glancing down at Rocket nervously, as though he were anticipating another angry outburst. "But then I remembered what you said yesterday. You told me that if my will were ever to falter, you would be the one to toss the ale over the cliffside. So I thought the right thing for me to do was to get rid of it myself. I could… take that burden from you at least."

Rocket stared at Thor for a moment, completely dumbstruck. By now he didn't even care about the rain or that he was covered in mud from head to toe. All of his frustrations from moments ago vanished upon hearing Thor's confession. "So why didn't you tell me then?" he asked softly. 

"I had been going on the other day about how much my 'worthiness' helped to keep me on the straight and narrow." Thor admitted. "That still hasn't changed, but I suppose I didn't want you to worry that I wasn't capable of handling this by myself." 

"Oh yeah man, sneaking off on your own and standing at the edge of a cliff like yer gonna jump is a _great_ way not ta make someone worry. I feel _super_ relaxed now." Rocket replied dryly. 

"I wasn't going to jump! Besides, it would take far more than that to kill me." Thor scoffed. "I was just trying to get my thoughts in order I suppose. Still, that was foolish of me… I'm sorry I frightened you."

"Yeah well, I guess I can give ya a pass this time." Rocket sighed. "It ain't like I've been in the best headspace myself today either. I woke up feeling like shit."

"I know." Thor said, looking out onto the crashing waves, his eyes misty. "It's my fault. I… I should never have used you as a distraction like this. It wasn't fair of me to keep pushing you further along without considering how you would feel, and that just makes this all the more painful for both of us." he said, shaking his head. "I suppose I was just selfish, wanting you all to myself…" 

"Yeah, well I'd be lying if I said I came here just for your sake ya know. It ain't like I wasn't hoping something might happen between us, so maybe I used you too." Rocket shrugged. "But… is that really so bad? The two of us are a regular pair of basket-cases who are always stuck inside our goddamn heads. We've both been ta hell and back - literally in your case. Maybe a distraction from all that is just what we needed." he said, looking up at the Asgardian. "And maybe you don't always havta be the big tough hero-guy who can fix the world all by yourself. Maybe it's good to have someone who knows what you're going through. Somebody you can rely on to watch your back and keep ya from slipping up even when you don't think you're gonna make it." he said, reaching up to squeeze Thor's wet hand with his own. 

"You're right…" Thor said, wrapping his fingers around Rocket's. "Why the Hel do you think I'm carrying on about all this like a maiden whose lover is going off to sea? It's hard for me because I _do_ want that. No warrior wants to carry their axe alone forever, and for me that's far longer than most." he said, staring out into the inky darkness of the roiling clouds. "But even you have to admit, it's a bit difficult to watch someone's back when they're a few galaxies away from you..." 

In an instant a flash of inspiration hit Rocket. Everything became so beautifully, painfully clear to him that it was like getting struck by a bolt of lightning - and in a way he had all those years ago, but somehow he was only now just realizing it. It was so simple he felt crazy that he hadn't even considered it before now, but it would work. He knew it would. And with that, he suddenly had his answer. 

"Then come with me." 

Thor whipped his head to face Rocket so quickly that his mane of soaked hair sent a wave of water shooting off it, his eyebrows raised in shock as he met the raccoon's confident gaze. "Wh-what? You can't be serious, Rabbit!" 

"Why the hell wouldn't I be?" he countered, a fire bright and blazing in his eyes. "I told ya before we gotta do what we can right? Well _this_ is something I can do for ya!" He said adamantly, never having felt so certain of anything in his life before. "And sure, maybe I'm not being some entirely selfless martyr offering this to ya. Maybe I'm doing this because I don't wanna lose you either. But ya know what? Who cares about any of that? Who cares about why I'm doing it or whose the one getting what out of it, or whatever? Who. Friggin'. Cares? Maybe the both of us can just enjoy being with a guy we care about and not make it into this whole big complicated thing, yeah? I dunno about you, but all that sounds pretty damn good ta me!" He said, flashing the Asgardian a self-assured grin. 

Thor looked like he had just been hit by a truck, totally befuddled at the brazen proposition. "But I can't just… just _go_!" He began to protest. "Odin's beard Rocket, I'm a king! I have a duty to finally lead my people. As much as I might want to, it would be madness to run off with you into the stars. I'm needed here!" 

"Yeaaaaaaah, you see, that's where you're wrong Blondie." Rocket said. "Well you were right about one thing earlier at least. You said that your people got on fine without you leading em, and guess what? They did! After getting the shit kicked out of em and having to start building everything over from scratch, when the time came _they_ were the ones leading the charge against Thanos. They're tough, and it sure as hell ain't because they had some fancy-pants king from the oh-so-special royal line ruling over em. It's because they've got the same strong, stubborn Asgardian blood running through their veins that you do." he said, slapping his hand against Thor's thigh for emphasis. "You did your job for em. You found em a place to live and gave em a good head start. But now they've gotta figure the rest out for themselves just like you do for yerself."

He looked up to meet Thor's gaze. There was still a hint of reluctance in the man's eyes, but he could see an earnest excitement slowly beginning to bloom there. "You've been spending your whole life trying ta figure out who you're supposed to be. Well for the first time, you finally get to be the one making that choice for yerself. But ya don't havta do it all alone either. I wanna help ya figure out that answer, together." Rocket said. He could feel his emotions start to rise to a dangerously intense level. He was starting to get choked up, but he wouldn't let it hold him back. There was no more need to keep face or try to avoid embarrassment at this point. After everything they had done together, he was finally ready for this. "I… I wanna be the one who gets ta be by your side, Thor."

The Asgardian didn't respond for a moment. He just stared down at the pilot with a look on this face that was concerned, but also strangely bemused. 

"Are you crying?" 

There was so much water pouring off Rocket's face from the rain that he wasn't sure how he could have possibly noticed that, but he still wiped at his eyes with his forearm for all the good that it did him at this point. "So what if I am? You looking ta finally get even with me for when I slapped ya on Asgard?" Rocket growled. 

"Hah! You did give me quite a wallop back then. Who'd have thought such small hands could sting so much!" Thor chuckled. "Still, it would be a lie to say I didn't deserve it with the way I was carrying on back then." 

"Yer damn right ya did! You almost totally screwed up our one shot at bringing everybody back! I was just a _little_ bit stressed about it!" he huffed indignantly and hoped that snot wasn't leaking from his nose. He was a pretty ugly crier afterall. "Though if ya think about it, I guess if you hadn't run off back then, you wouldn't have met up with your mom and gotten your mojo back. So I guess you doing the 'wrong' thing ended up being what ya were supposta do all along eh?" 

That statement seemed to strike a genuine chord with Thor, a look of sudden realization washing over his face as though the final piece to a long unsolved puzzle had finally been found. "You know something, Rabbit? You're absolutely right." He ran a hand through his beard as he thought, water pouring from it as he wrung it out between his fingers. "She told me to go be the man I was meant to be. That our short time together was a gift..." He looked far off into the distance as though he expected to see Frigga looking back at him from beyond the clouds. "I think she knew all along…" He smiled, the wide, genuine smile of someone who had carried a great weight around with him for years, only to finally get it lifted from his shoulders. 

His gaze went back down to Rocket, beaming down at him with pure gratitude. Without the slightest care for how muddy and wet he was, he scooped Rocket up in one arm, holding him close in his warm embrace. 

"Thank you…" he whispered. "I know what I have to do now…" 

The man thrust out his other arm like he had back on Asgard, but it wasn't the hammer that came flying to him this time. Stormbreaker came soaring out of the open door of the cabin and into his outstretched hand, and he effortlessly thrust the massive war axe towards the heavens. Before Rocket could tell what was going on, a bolt of searing light burst from it, piercing the churning clouds above. It surged from Thor in a massive shockwave, and for a moment Rocket was temporarily blinded by its brilliance. When he finally gained his vision back, the black sky was now a brilliant blue, without the slightest indication that there had been any storm at all.

"Well whaddya know? Looks like ya finally learned how ta control it eh?" Rocket said, feeling immensely proud of Thor as he looked up at the sunny vista with admiration. "I knew ya could do it without booze. But uh, maybe next time give a guy a warning yeah? I'm still seein' spots…" he said, rubbing at his eyes. 

"Sorry about that! I had no idea that would actually work!" Thor said, giving a laugh of disbelief. "I couldn't have managed it without you." 

"Nah, you woulda figured it out eventually. But if you wanna give me the credit for it, I ain't gonna argue with ya…" he said, nestling himself up against Thor's powerful chest, more than happy to indulge in the moment. "So uh, you gonna keep me in suspense here or you gonna let me know what your answer to my offer is?" he asked bluntly as he stared up at Thor expectantly. "It ain't nice ta keep a guy waiting like that, ya lunk."

Thor looked up into the bright morning sun, a curious smile on his face. It was as if he were seeing all the possibilities that lay before him on this unfamiliar path, his eyes sparkling with anticipation for a brand new adventure about to unfold. "You know something? If I were to fly off into the sunset with anyone, I would very much like it to be you. You and I make for a curious pair, but there's something about the two of us that simply works. There's still quite a bit for me to discover about myself, and who knows how long that will end up taking. But if I can have you by my side while I figure things out, it doesn't seem so daunting anymore." He grinned down at the raccoon in his arms, his cheeks glowing with unfiltered affection. "So if you'll have a big stubborn ox like me, I'll gladly go wherever you are, Sweet Rabbit."

"Heh, happy ta hear it, Pirate Angel." Rocket said, smiling back with unabashed fondness for the man. His chest felt light, like the beacon Thor had conjured to banish the storm was permanently a part of him now. "Listen, I know I ain't exactly what anyone would call 'boyfriend material'. I got a lot of shit to work on myself, least of all being my sparkling personality." he chuckled, knowing that was the understatement of the year. "But for now, we can take it slow, ya know? Just kinda let things play out as they come along and enjoy all the dumb little things about each other's company, whether it's knockin' boots under the sheets or figuring out what we're gonna make for dinner." he said, giving Thor's wet beard an affectionate tug. "I'm just glad I get ta be with ya."

"As am I…" Thor said, pulling him in close for a deep, passionate kiss, the taste of the rain on both of their lips. It was sweet and carefree, as though it were the promise of something new and exciting just over the horizon. "Well! I suppose if I'm going to be heading off with you, I had better begin making some arrangements." He said, carrying both the pilot and Stormbreaker back towards the cabin. 

"Think it's gonna be tough for ya to find someone ta run this place?" Rocket asked, attempting to squeeze the water out of his tail.

"Mmm, it shouldn't be." Thor said plainly. "At least I don't think so. I have somebody in mind for the position in any case." 

"Oh yeah? Well you do whatever ya gotta do Blondie. Might wanna get cleaned up first though. You're a friggin' mess." the raccoon sniggered.

"You're one to talk! If I didn't know what I was looking at, I'd hardly be able to recognize you in the sorry state you're in." Thor laughed. 

"And whose fault is that huh? First time in days I get back in clean clothes and you havta pull a big stupid stunt like this." Rocket groused. "I definitely wouldn't say no to catching one last bath with ya though." 

"Oho? Are you sure we'll have time for that before your friends arrive? We have a habit of doing more than bathing in there you know." Thor said, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. "What if we were to get carried away again?" 

"Why d'ya think I suggested it? Might as well put it ta good use while we still have it, right?" Rocket said slyly. "Besides, I can just call the team and tell em ta circle the planet a few times or something. Those chuckleheads owe me that much."

"Well in that case, I think we ought to make a thorough job of it then." Thor winked. "This could take a good long while…" 

"Yeah? I wouldn't have it any other way Blondie." the pilot smirked as Thor carried him inside and pulled the door closed behind them. 

* * *

A gentle breeze blew over the grassy hills of New Asgard, carrying a welcome sense of change along with it. Rocket stood with the Benatar parked behind him, watching as Thor passed the reins of his kingdom over to the woman called Valkyrie. He had to admit it was a good choice, since she had pretty much already taken charge of things. At least now it was official. 

Things were certainly about to change around here, just as they were going to for Rocket. The Guardians were getting a new member, and that would definitely take some time for everyone to get comfortable with. On top of that, he had a new relationship with Thor that he would have to adjust to as well. But unlike a few days earlier, he didn't feel a sense of dread at not knowing what the future would bring. Whatever came their way, they would be there to meet it together, and that was enough for him. 

He suddenly noticed Thor looking over at him from across the hill with an expectant look in his eye. Was he talking about him just now? Whatever he said, Valkyrie was also looking at him now, and he was beginning to get a little flustered from the attention. "Move it or lose it Airbag!" Rocket called out, signaling for him to hurry things along. The Asgardian quickly said his final farewells before making his way over to him. 

"Everything all taken care of Blondie?" he asked.

"Oh yes, It's all worked out. I told you it wouldn't be a problem." Thor said, turning to watch as Valkyrie walked back to town. "I have no doubt that she'll be an excellent king. Asgard deserves a leader like her." His eyes gazed over the lands that were once his kingdom, taking it all in. The rolling green cliffs that trailed off into the sea, the fishermen working to bring in the day's catch at the docks, the brightly colored rooftops of the recently constructed homes and storefronts. It would inevitably be different the next time he would see it, but he always wanted to remember it like this. "They'll be alright." 

"Yeah. They will." Rocket replied, looking over at it with him. Even though he had seen so little of it, the place really was beautiful. "You okay?" 

"You know what? I am." Thor replied, turning to face the pilot. "It still feels a bit strange. I suspect it will for some time actually. But there's something about finally getting to choose a path for myself rather than have it chosen for me that's rather nice." He took a deep breath, but his smile was still genuine. "I'm not a crown prince, a king, or even an Avenger. For now, I can just be Thor. I think it's long overdue." 

"Well you're not quite free from titles just yet pal." Rocket laughed. "You're the newest member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the biggest group of jackasses you could ever hope ta meet. Welcome aboard, sucker." 

"You're certain that your crewmates won't have a problem with me joining along?" Thor asked. 

"Nah don't worry they'll be fine. Hell I think Mantis just kinda moved in with us out of the blue and nobody said anything about it. Quill might make a fuss about it though. He can be a first class cuck when he wants ta be." Rocket shrugged. "Well, he can throw a tantrum if he wants, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. After Thanos's snap I had the Benatar legally registered in my name, so he's gotta live with it or go get his own ship. Captain's orders." he grinned up at the big man. "If he gives ya any trouble let me know and I'll deal with him. He's a really good guy once ya get ta know him, but he's always gotta try and act so damn macho. Pretty sure he's compensating for something, but like hell he'd ever admit that." he laughed. "Still, his taste in music ain't bad."

"Hah! Duly noted." Thor replied. "But I do wish you would have let me take the bed from the house. Just because I'm no longer a king doesn't mean I'd prefer to sleep like a pauper…" he grumbled. 

"I told ya, it was just too damn big." Rocket said as they began making their way to the Benatar. "Trust me I liked it too, but there was no way in hell it was gonna fit. And _don't_ say that's what I said in the baths earlier!" he said sharply, Thor quickly snapping his mouth shut before he blurted it out. "Anyway, the bed in the captain's room isn't as big as that one, but it'll do until I can build us something larger. Might be close quarters for a bit, but I won't mind sleepin' on top of ya." he said, playfully poking him in the side. "You're actually pretty damn comfy." 

The hatch to the ship slowly slid open with a hiss as the ramp lowered down for them. Leaning against the wall at the top with his arms crossed was Groot. He looked so unbelievably smug seeing the two of them together, Rocket was quite certain that even in the farthest reaches of the galaxy he would never find another tree who looked anywhere near as self-satisfied as he did right this moment. 

"I am _Groooooot~_!" he whispered to the raccoon, his brow raised in a teasing look. 

"Not a damn word outta you smart-ass..." he hissed under his breath, feeling his face grow hot in embarrassment. "Nobody likes hearing 'I told you so', okay?!"

"I am Groot…" the tree replied, shaking his head in exasperation and looking as though he were about to burst out laughing any second. 

Even if Thor heard the exchange, he mercifully didn't say anything. Instead he greeted Groot enthusiastically, marveling at how well his arm had grown back after using it to make Stormbreaker's handle. The two began to chatter away as they caught up, and Rocket figured he would leave them to it as he made his way through the ship into his quarters. 

He flopped onto the bed with the limp exhaustion of a wanderer who had finally arrived back home after journeying across the universe. He stared up at the ceiling and took a deep breath, in sore need of a moment to finally decompress and mentally unpack everything that had happened over the past few days. The last time he was in this bed, the thought of being with Thor was just a fantasy that he would use to ease his loneliness, nothing more than his dirty little secret. And now here he was on the ship, his new partner in crime - literally and figuratively. It almost didn't feel real.

_He's here. He's here and the big doofus actually loves me. God damn…_

Even though he was crazy about the Asgardian, he wasn't naive enough to think that their new relationship was going to suddenly make everything perfect. He still had a hell of a lot of work to do on himself to make sure he could be a good boyfriend to him, and Thor would need time to iron out all of his own issues and hangups too. Falling into old habits was painfully easy, but now that he had Thor by his side, he knew that they could deal with those struggles together. At the very least, he wasn't stuck with himself anymore, and that was somewhere to start. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden racket of raised voices coming from the bridge. From the sound of it, Quill was already peeved by something Thor had done and was making a big stink about it. It was also a distinct possibility that Thor was going out of his way to antagonize him… 

"Welp, I guess somebody hasta take charge around here… " he said, hopping off the bed to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever the hell it was, he could deal with it. 

The End 


End file.
